Apartments
by Tella
Summary: Syaoran Li is a famous writer pressured to produce his new best seller. Sakura Kinomoto is his new next door neighbour finishing her last year of high school. Together they create a new world on paper.
1. Chapter 1

**Apartments**

**Summary: **Syaoran Li is a famous writer pressured to produce his new best seller. Sakura Kinomoto is his new next door neighbour finishing her last year of high school. Together they create a new world on paper.

**AN: I do not own Card Captor Sakura**

**Chapter 1**

I groaned when the moving and scrapping next door didn't stop. I know I only have to put up with it for a day, but with a splitting headache and my publisher bitching in my ear it is becoming extremely difficult to remain the polite neighbour. "Naoko I know! Gees, please just leave it for the moment."

"But this is the opportunity of a life…"

"Life time, bla-bla-bla. Can I talk to you tomorrow when the new neighbour is done shifting his furniture up and down and I don't have a head ache?"

"Fine, I have an opening at lunch. Meet me at that little café on the corner of 4th and 9th."

"See you tomorrow." I sighed as I put down the phone. The screeching stopped for a moment and the silence seemed almost unbearable.

"DAD!" Great kids, just what I need. Kids running up and down next door, yelling at the top of their voices while they argue about stupid video games. "Dad! Honestly, where can put this down?"

"Honey, we're not in a house anymore. Keep your voice down." The man's was noticeably softer, but still loud enough with all the windows and doors open everywhere due to the summer heat. "What did you say honey?" She must have mumbled to herself.

"I'm not having that argument with you again!" I leaned my chair against the wall as I strained to listen. She is not the little kid I thought it was, her voice is quite mature. And his voice sounds caring, concerned, yet excited. Perhaps I can use that. Perhaps I can use their situation. Or something similar to it. "I could have stayed in Tomoeda." Small town people. "With Tomoyo."

"You know that Tomoyo and you are not a good combination when it comes to studying."

"Yeah, but now I'm going to miss my matric dance." A high school girl, about eighteen, seventeen, with her father moving into a new apartment far away from their little small town. They left behind a comfortable life… "The only conciliation is that this used to be where you and mom lived." Historical significance…

Where is the mother? Divorced. No. Perhaps tragically taken away by an untimely death. "You know she had a little habit of hiding things." A mystery woman with interesting habits. "And I know you will want to go exploring, but you have to pay attention to your studies as well." A father wanting the best for his child, caring... bringing her up on his own.

"Yeah, I know. Do good, get into collage, do what I always wanted." A child that knows that he cares, but becomes slightly hostile at hearing it all the time. "You and Toya are the same." An older boyfriend perhaps.

"You know your brother only wants the best for you."

"Except for the name calling!" A protective older brother that teases his little sister. This is interesting. This gives me an idea. I just need to see the girl. What features will match that voice. Blue eyes, perhaps brown, with black or dark brown hair… Tall for her age, with an athletic build… She is popular amongst her fellow school pupils and known for her beauty. She will wear skirts and label shirts and jackets with matching heels and other accessories. Her hair will be long.

Her father is a successful business man, handsome for his age and incredibly intelligent. He is tall, with brown hair and dark caring eyes. He wears glasses, but it does not 'damage' his image in any way. He could have married a long time ago if he wanted to, but his love for his wife made him a devoted husband even in her death.

Women love characters like him.

Does he find love, or does she? Perhaps both? No. Too clichéd. Focus on him or her? Her life is already perfect. His… perhaps a challenge at the office… the company he worked for was liquidated. They lost everything and were forced to move. They start a new life – a fresh life. Away from all memories. It is a period of adjustment. A period of learning to know one another.

He tries to make up for all the lost time when he use to spend his hours at the office, now he realise that she is all he needs in his life. They move to a city where the best universities are close – he had managed to save her collage money. A trust fund her mother left her.

"Dad! Uncle Mike is here." An uncle! I listen intently, but I can only hear a murmur of two male voices. 'Uncle Mike' sounded older, more to his sixties. His brother or perhaps his late wife's brother?

I scratched my beard. That could work. All I need now is an original twist to it all. An author's touch. After all, they say your characters must seem real, then the world they live in will seem real. And what better way than to base it all on real people, even if it is only their voices.

Oh shit!

I jumped up and walked downstairs to the post boxes. Naoko would have killed me if I showed up tomorrow and not have read the letter. I opened the little wooden door and piled of mail came streaming out. Perhaps I should learn to empty my mail box at least every second day.

Sighing I picked it all up and paged through it as I walked up the stairs. Junk mail and bills, no surprise there. Oh… Nah, just one from my sister. Here it is… I tore it open and pulled out the letter. My eyes scanned the piece of paper. That much! And Naoko said I could probably get more. I'll be made!

"Are you going stand there all day?" I glanced up at the voice. It was the girl's voice from next door. Before me stood a girl. She had short honey brown hair and sun touched skin. In her hands was a huge box stuffed with torn newspapers. She wore bootleg jeans with sneakers and a dark blue t-shirt. Her lips were set in an un-amused smile. But it was her eyes…

Before me my character shattered into a million pieces. This girl was nothing like I imagined her to be. The real girl before me was small, almost too small for that strong voice. Her body spoke nothing but running – middle distance perhaps. And her eyes… It is her eyes that told me that I will never be able to revert back to my dream girl.

Her eyes were green, an intense green, and they were glaring down at me. "Sorry." I mumbled an apology. "25 B right?"

"Yeah."

"24 B, Syaoran Li."

"Sakura Kinomoto." Her name… it does not match. Yet it does. What contrast! What utterly beautiful contrast. "My dad is in if you want to talk to him. He likes the whole 'greet your neighbour' thing."

"And you don't?"

"No. This isn't the sixties." She gave me sarcastic smile and walked past. I watched her disappear around the corner before making my way back up again. Perhaps I should go greet her father. If I am so wrong about her, then I should be wrong about him to. I've never been wrong about any person… Why did I get her wrong? Completely in fact!

I stopped at the open door and knocked. A man in his early fifties popped up from behind a beige couch. "Hello?"

"Syaoran Li. 24B."

"Oh!" He got up and shook my hand firmly, enthusiastically. He looked exactly like I imagined him, then why did I get his daughter wrong? "Fujitika Kinomoto, nice to meet you."

"The archaeologist?"

"The one in the same I am afraid. I hope we aren't disturbing you too much, we should be done at the end of the day."

"Oh no, it's fine. Really." It's fine. "Well, I won't keep you. Nice to meet you."

"Same." I nodded politely and stepped into my own apartment. I listened to them intently the entire day. They talked about school, a girl named Tomoyo, work, digs and the city. Most of the time is was about where to put what, and who will wash what which was determined by a game of rock-paper-scissors most of the time.

When I went to meet Naoko I was all giddy – like a little school girl. I sat tapping my spoon on the table the entire time. I watched her sit down. Her glasses on her nose and her brown eyes scrutinising me. Her short brown hair was neat, in total contrast to mine. "Syaoran…"

"I found my story!"

"You what?"

"My next story – book… what ever. They moved in next to me."

**AN: Hey! This I what you come up with when you are completely bored out of your mind at work. And waiting in suspense for exam results to come out. Tell me if you like it or not. Constructive criticism welcome!**

**Tella**


	2. Chapter 2

**Apartments**

**AN: I do not own Card Captor Sakura.**

**Chapter 2**

Naoko thought I had gone crazy, until I explained it to her. In detail. I have never explained a concept with such… vividness. Every detail was worked out perfectly in my mind. It's subjected to change though, all my ideas are. Naoko knows it. She hates me for it. She says I give her grey hair. She's only forty-two, she still has some time to go for grey hair.

My fingers tapped my mug repeatedly as I held it in my hands. I only paused to scratch my beard now and again. Sakura Kinomoto… I can't use her real name, not with out permission. Perhaps a Sakura, but with a different surname. That will work. There are a lot of Sakura's in the world, no one will really notice one more.

But her appearance… I want to keep her appearance. Those eyes are central to the entire story. Those eyes are what will make the characters… tick. Like they make me tick. I scratched my beard again. Perhaps I can change her hair colour. No, it's what makes her eyes so striking.

I drank the last gulp of my coffee. Beneath me the city was buzzing with people moving around to where ever. "If you keep that up you're going to crack your mug." My gaze shot to the voice. Her voice. She was standing on their balcony, next to mine. That smile was on her lips. She must have come back from school, her tie hung loose around her neck. "Vibrations and all."

I put my mug down and smiled stiffly at her. What do you say to a teenager? "For a writer you're not very wordy, are you?"

"Who told you I'm a writer?"

"Oh, I don't know. Perhaps one of the hundreds of bookshops with your title as best seller on their list." She grinned at me. "What are you trying to hide under that mass of hair?" I self consciously scratched my beard again. "It makes your scar only look worse." I restrained myself from touching the side of my face. "You should make it part of your 'persona', like your characters."

"You don't have scars."

"Yes I do." My eyes grew when she lifted her shirt. On her stomach was an angry red scar glaring at me. "My appendix almost burst, it's my brush with death so to speak."

"Really?" I stood up and walked up to her. I sank down to take a closer look at it between the railings separating us. "When did this happen?"

"About two years ago. You?"

"I was your age." I reluctantly stood up and smiled down at her. "Car accident." She nodded. "I'm marked, like the famous magic boy." She laughed at my remark.

"Yeah well, stuff happen. I still think that you will look better with less beard." She touched my face. "Yup, you're a man. No fluff, like the guys at my school. They think three hairs on their chin make them men. Stubble is cool, about three day's worth, but nothing more. It might help you with the ladies." She waved at me and went into their apartment.

I touched the place where she had touched me. No one touches me. She did it openly, without blinking or frowning. Interesting. "My friend thinks you're hot by the way!" I frowned at her as she grinned at me half leaning out of the door. "But Tomoyo is crazy, so I won't count on her opinion."

"Hey!" She laughed at me and this time really disappeared into her home. I went inside my own home and opened my cupboard to see what I have in my wardrobe. Tomorrow I'm meeting with Naoko and that big film company… what's its name. I can't remember. Something to do with the previous century if I am not mistaken. I sighed and stared at my clothes. What to wear. What to wear.

Naoko said I have to look 'presentable' what ever that means. What's wrong with what I am wearing now? I looked myself in the mirror. T-shirt and jeans, except for the naked feet there is nothing wrong with my clothes. I looked up to my face.

Perhaps the girl was right. I do have a brown mass of hair. I can't remember the last time I cut my hair or when I shaved. A year ago, perhaps more. I'm not sure. I turned my face and looked at my scar. It stood out beneath my hair.

Giving in I made my way out to the balcony again and climbed over the small railing dividing her side from mine. I leaned in to the apartment and found the girl on the couch balancing a book on her stomach as she read. "What does it mean when a woman tells you to look 'presentable'?"

She put the book down on her stomach and looked at me. "In what context?"

"Business meeting."

"It means nice shirt, nice pants with clean shoes, usually clean shaven or at least clean and neat hair. In other words, look like you are going out on a date."

"I wear this to dates."

"No wonder you are single."

"Hey!" Sighing she got up and made her way to me. She was wearing shorts and a t-shirt. She was wearing very short shorts. And a slightly baggy t-shirt. I let my eyes drop. Her feet were naked, same as mine. But hers were small. The summer heat is getting to me.

She touched my face again and I let my eyes meet hers. Her thumb stroked my beard softly before she moved her attention to my hair. "You have thick hair."

"Is that good or bad?"

"It's good. A bit long though." She walked around me and I could feel her hand bumping against my shoulders as she undid my ponytail. "Hmm… I would say cut your hair about shoulder length. Then…" She twisted around me again and stared intently at my face. "…we should do something about that fringe of yours. It's a tad too long and you need to shave a bit."

"How much is a bit?"

"Until I can see that there is some form of skin under all that hair." She smiled at me and I sighed.

"Will you help me? I'll do something in return."

"Okay. I'll come back to you on the favour though. Let's go." I followed her over the railing into my place. "Bathroom?" I led her to the bathroom. I felt awkward. I haven't been alone with a woman for ages. And technically she is not a woman. She is a girl for haven's sake.

With all the curves of a woman.

Damn it! I need to get out more.

She sat me down after a whole collection ritual and I let her wash and cut my hair. I can't believe I'm trusting my seventeen-year-old neighbour with my appearance. I watched long pieces of hair fall to the ground. It made me feel like I was loosing something. I was loosing a part of me, a part of my past. Have I been clinging on to my old life for so long?

I watched her face intently when she squatted down in front of me to do my fringe. Her green eyes were serious and focused on the task at hand. Her nose was almost button like with a small flick to it. Her cheeks were red from the summer heat and her rosy lush lips pulled into a thin line of concentration.

I refrained from licking my own lips.

She's just a girl, she is just my neighbour girl. I met her two days ago. I know nothing about her past or her wishes for the future. "Where are you from, Sakura?" I felt odd to say her name. It's been playing time and time again in my mind, I even dreamed about her and her name. I dreamed about her past and her future in my story. I've been moulding the idea that is her in my mind for so long now. But I have no idea who the real girl is.

"Tomoeda." I watched her sit down on the edge of my bathtub. "Born and bread. Dad moved us here because of his job. I still wish I was back there though."

"Friends?"

"Not so much. I only have one really." She looked down for a moment. Her eyes met mine and I could see the person within. She was amazing. "I miss the smells." I nodded. "The air smells different there and my house smells different. My room has this particular smell that has been there since I could remember. Weird, isn't it?"

"No, people are different."

"Like you." I frowned at her. "You smell different than anyone I have ever met. You kind of remind me of my mom." She laughed suddenly. "Not that you are a girl or anything… I think it's your brand of shampoo or something." I stared at her for a moment. "Anyway! Let's tackle your wardrobe. The beard is up to you, but what do you think about your hair?"

I stood up and glanced at myself in the mirror. A piece of my past fell to the ground when she cut my hair. "It looks… It needs some getting used to."

"I expected that much." I looked at her and she smiled. I could see her eyes trying to read mine. "You are weird Mr Li, but I suppose that is why I like you." I shook my head at her comment as I followed her to my bedroom and closet.

I want to get close to the girl. I want to learn more about her. I want to learn about her favourite smells. I need to see that smile so many times more – in the end it must be edged into my brain. I have to learn what those eyes are telling me when she looks at me. I need to know her… inside out.

My mind kept drifting to the girl. She was probably in school right now. She's busy with her lessons, learning languages or mathematics. She'll move onto science and biology when the bell rings and at around one she will meet acquaintances or new friends to share lunch time with.

She is the kind of girl I was fascinated with in high school. She is the kind of girl I am fascinated with now. She is the kind of girl I want to examine inside out in my mind and on paper. "My Syaoran! I have no idea who did what, but you look fabulous."

I jumped slightly at Naoko's voice. I followed the girl's advice. I shaved a bit. I still have stubble… it doesn't itch anymore. Naoko circled me once and sat down with an approving nod. "If you were a few years younger I would have seriously considered matching you with my daughter."

I bit back my laughter. Her daughter. Rika. You have got to be kidding me. That girl is into way older men than me. In fact, she is into teachers. Her teacher. 'Please sir, teach me the art of love.' I snickered in my mind. I could just see the girl whispering it to him in his ear as she sat on his lap kissing his neck.

I looked up at Naoko. She is a good mother in her own right, she tries her best and it's not easy being an only parent. The only reason I even know about her daughter's 'adventures' is because I caught them off guard in a far off restaurant once. She begged me not to tell her mom. I complied. What she does with her life is none of my business.

"I have my own teenager to watch over, thank you."

"Really? When did this happen?"

"The girl I told you about."

"Syaoran, isn't that illegal?"

"Not in that way!" Damn it. "She is intelligent and observant. But she is rather sharp with her tongue. Not something I really like in a girl." Nor do I like the fact that she can touch me so easily and leave me feeling confused and unfocused.

_Sakura _glanced up from her book. Out side the sky was bright and the intense heat of the sun made the earth shiver wave upon wave. She could hear voices of neighbours going about their business and children laughing as they played in the community pool not far away.

The summer heat seemed more intense than she could ever remember it to be. It made the earth boil and her heart…

I glanced up from my screen to the balcony. There the girl stood with books in her arms and her legs nervously shifting her weight from one to the next. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bother you while you were working. I'll come back." I watched her turn around and I jumped up.

"Sakura!" My hand touched her shoulder and she turned around slowly. Her skin felt hot and inviting. I let go of her. "Came to call in the favour?" She nodded at me, unable to meet my eyes. "And?"

"How are you with math?" I laughed and wrapped my arm around her shoulder before showing her into my home.

"So I found your weakness."

"It's not funny."

**AN: Hey guys. Thank you so much for the reviews. I need to answer a few of your questions/remarks:**

**1. I am a 2nd language English speaker. There will be some grammatical and typing mistakes now and again. I'm sorry, but I don't have time to work with a beta reader either. You'll just have to put up with my (sometimes sloppy) editing. Sorry!**

**2. ** **I will not use Japanese in my stories unless the use of a term requires it. I am not going to use a language I do not understand. I'd rather put in Afrikaans (my home lang), but most of you guys won't understand it. **

**3. Chapter length will vary. It depends on how much time I have and how much I need to write. Chapter updates will also vary.**

**4. People change when they grow up, believe me. Who's to say that Syaoran and Sakura are not the people I portray them to be? OOC – perhaps, perhaps not. **

**Lovies** **Tella**


	3. Chapter 3

**Apartments**

**AN: I do not own Card Captor Sakura**

**Chapter 3**

I cringed when someone banged loudly against the wall. The wall I know is separating the girl's home from mine. She cursed loudly, very loudly and I grinned. Looks like she's busy with goodness knows what, but it sure is noisy. I sighed when there was another loud string of curses.

Where's her father? He's usually around this time of the morning. I walked onto my balcony and climbed over to the girl's side. The sun was hot again. I looked up, and not sign of relief from this heat was anywhere in sight. I peeked into the girl's home. "Sakura?" I walked in uncertain about what to expect.

From the month I spent tutoring this girl I've learned to expect the unexpected. She is the unpredictable summer rain, but she is also the soothing ease that comes with the rain to stroke your soul. I played with the keys in my pocket as I walked deeper into the house. I have to go meet Eriol in a bit. "Sakura?"

"Yello!" I blinked as the girl came sliding past on her socks. I gaped at her. Dressed in only her skirt, white bra and navy socks she slid past me on the floor and into the kitchen. I watched her pull a freshly ironed shirt from a hanger still stuck on the kitchen cabinet and pull it on over her shoulders. I swallowed hard and forced myself to look away as she buttoned her shirt.

"Hey Mr Li."

"What's up kid?"

"I'm going…" she disappeared into her room and came out pulling her shoes on. "…to be later for school." I watched her intently as she managed to make her tie, pack her books, buckle her shoes and make her hair into a pony tail all more or less at the same time. "Bye Mr Li." I blinked at the small kiss she placed on my cheek before ripping open the front door.

"I'll drive you kid."

"But the traffic."

"Who said anything about a car?"

I could feel the girl's hands tighten around my waist as she held onto me. Her legs pressed against mine in an attempt to keep her skirt at bay. A thrill ran through my body as she leaned with me as we came around the corner. The cars passed in a blur as I sped in between them, past them, around them.

I grinned when the school came in view. I drove in through the open gates and stopped in the parking lot. The girl let go of me and climbed off. I pulled off my own helmet and looked at her holding her helmet in her hands. "Keep it, I'll pick you up later."

"Thanks Mr Li." Her lips touched my cheek for the second time that day and I half smiled at her. "See you at two!" I waved in return as she disappeared into the large building with other kids. My eyes gazed up to the windows and I grinned at a familiar old face. I waved at the man before putting my helmet back on and speeding out of the school yard. Poor kid.

I tapped my mug as I listened to Eriol. He was restless… His normally neat black hair was in a disarray and his normally calm blue eyes were darting everywhere. "What have you been up to?"

"I'm in love."

"Yeah, so? You are married."

"Not with Kaho."

"What?"

"Its… she…" He sank down on the chair had occupied previously with a large sigh. "She's just a kid Syaoran. Some kid I accidentally met and now… She's only eighteen."

"You're in love with a teenager?"

"Yeah."

"I've heard worse."

"I'm mar… Actually, I won't be married for long. Kaho wants a divorce. She wanted one for a long time now, but I kept believing that we could make it work. Now, after meeting that girl… My heart was never in it, not really." I watched my old friend as he sighed again. "Nor was hers. We just did it because it was comfortable, easy… We knew each other so well."

"High school sweethearts."

"Yeah… Even then I didn't think that we would last this long."

"Who's the girl?"

"Daidouji's daughter. I bumped into her at the office I visited. She's beautiful… She has pale skin, the darkest colour of hair you've ever seen and the most amazing eyes… They are blue with lavender." My mind drifted to the girl I dropped off at school some time ago. Her brown hair was windblown and her green eyes alive when she kissed me goodbye. Eriol you fool, I know.

"And she's smart. Really smart. Talked to her for hours and there after for hours over the phone. She has ambition and drive… Something that I've never seen in Kaho."

"You haven't done anything physical, have you?" A silence fell over the man and I groaned. "Eriol! She's a kid for god's sake!"

"She isn't! She's a woman, a beautiful grown woman. She'll be done with school in a few months and then…"

"Okay, listen. As tempting as the younger of the fairer sex is, you have to control yourself. At least until she's left school. For pity sake Eriol, what will her mother say?"

"What does that kid you spend all your time with father say?"

"I didn't touch her!"

"But it plays in your mind, over and over again. Every night you wonder what it will feel like to have her under you, to feel her skin on yours, to able to kiss her and savour her every flavour! Every night you wish that she was sleeping next to you! I can see it in your eyes Syaoran! You lust after that girl just as much! The only difference is that I acted on mine."

"You don't act on your lust!" I bellowed out at my old friend. He's suppose to be the responsible one, yet he… "You simply do not!"

I narrowed my eyes at him as he laughed at me. "Poor old Syaoran. One day you are going to find that you aren't always in control, not the way you want to be. And what then? It takes two to tango. I was sure as hell not the first man that girl has been with."

"And what if she falls pregnant?"

"She won't." I lifted a brow at him. Yeah right, Mr all-natural sure is confident. "I'm not stupid, I've kept this marriage childless for years. Shouldn't you get back to your own little girlfriend?" I growled as I walked out of the house and pulled on my helmet. "You're little girl isn't as innocent as she looks!"

I clenched my jaw as I started my bike and sped off. I watched my knuckles turn white as I held onto the bars. In the distance the school came insight and I pulled into the parking lot. The girl was waiting for me with a big smile on her lips. Her legs pressed against mine again and her hands and arms wrapped around my waist.

My blood boiled.

Her hands tightened their hold on me as I sped up. I could feel her fingers clutching my shirt. Somewhere in the background I could hear her voice calling my name, asking me something. But I continued to speed around the corners, feeling her body pressed against mine as she moved with me.

My breathing slowed when I saw the green. The one place… I slowed the bike and we stopped under a large tree. I could feel the girl climb off behind me. Her hand touched my arm and I turned to look at her. "Are you okay?" Her voice was soft and caring, like she really did hold some form of sentimental emotions for me. "Mr Li?" I looked away, towards the green. "Li? Syaoran?"

I looked at her again. "Are you okay, Syaoran?" Her voice told me that she felt a little uncomfortable calling me by my name. Yet, her eyes, they held such compassion. "Do you want to talk about it? Or just sit around? It is a nice day and a lovely park." I silently obeyed the girl and pulled of my helmet.

Her small hand took hold of mine as she led me to a large tree not far off. I sat down next to her, unable to speak. Still feeling my rage bubble in me. "I should have hit the damn bastard." I mumbled under my breath.

"Violence isn't always a good thing." Oh please, I'm not in the mood for the 'violence doesn't solve anything' speech. "But it does solve a lot of problems in my life." I looked at the girl and she grinned sheepishly up at me. "Boys don't like girls who hit back."

"Friends don't like friends who hit back."

"I assume you had an argument with your friend."

"The bastard is fucking an eighteen year old! And he dares blame it on being in love."

"If he wants to sleep with her, and she agrees…"

"Don't give me that liberal shit. He could at least have waited until the girl is out of school if he loves her that much."

"High school girls have been dating and sleeping with men older than they for years and years. It's not going to change because you think it is immoral."

"It's irresponsible."

"What ever! People screw around, that's what they do. It just so happens that he's your friend. My friend is a little slut sometimes, but I still love her. You slept with girls when you were my age." I lifted a brow at the girl as she looked up at me. "The inscription is still on the bathroom door 'Syaoran Li is a good f.'…" I glared down at her, daring her to finish that sentence. "What? I wasn't born yesterday, I had sex-ed."

"Only sex-ed?"

"No, the dad talk, the big brother talk, the 'if your love me' shit that boys so love to fling your way. Oh brother." She let out a frustrated sigh. "What did you do at school anyway?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Because you have to wonder when the first thing the teacher asks you is 'what is your relationship with that man'."

"I had my share of fun."

"So apart from having a reputation in the bedroom you also had one on the school grounds. What a tamed terror you turned out to be."

"Tamed!"

"Please, you think two legal grown ups sleeping together is a bad thing, just because the one is still at school. How tamed can you get?"

"I'll give you the thrill of your life missy."

"Really?"

"Really." I pulled her up and lead her to the bike before putting the helmet on her head. "You're going to need that." I climbed on and she behind me. Her arms wrapped around my waist. Her legs pressed against mine… I grinned.

I could hear the girl laugh as we leaned together for a corner. The barriers were a blur as we sped past them, cars hooted at us but the sounds died down to fast. The wind tugged at my clothes vigorously and I could see it pulling at the girl's skirt. I grinned as I accelerated and it earned a large cry of pleasure from the girl.

Her fingers were clutching my shirt again. I could feel them against my chest and stomach, her grip loosened a little as I slowed down to the on ramp. "You okay?"

"That was fantastic! Can we drive around some more?"

"What about your dad?"

"He's at a dig. We have all the time in the world!" I laughed at the girl's exclamation and sped of. Any direction, we didn't care were it took us, just as long as we could feel the wind pull at our clothes and hair. Just as long as I could hear her voice. Just as long as I could feel her holding onto me.

We only stopped when the sun had set and artificial light was called on to bring the road to life. The girl giggled as she led me into a small café. I ignored the stairs we received and sat down with the girl at a small table. "Had your thrill?" She nodded enthusiastically. "You're the tamed one kid." I pushed some of her wind blown hair behind her ear and she smiled up at me.

"Thank you Mr Li."

"Drop the mister will you? I'm not old enough for that crap yet."

"You're older than I am."

"I'm only twenty four kid, I'm still well within your first name basis reach."

"Thank you… Syaoran. I really enjoyed today."

"You don't get out much, do you? Where are all your friends kid?"

"I'm not very social."

"Why? You are beautiful, you can crack a good joke and you are intelligent. Except with your math of course, you are just horrible when it comes to math." I laughed when she hit my arm. "Seriously, where are all your friends?"

"I'm looking at him." My voice faltered at I looked at the girl. Her face was sincere and honest. I'm her friend here. I smiled softly at the girl. Kids are cruel, and I somehow got the feeling that the girl was the object of torture at school. We'll remedy that little problem soon enough.

"Come on kid, I'm starving."

**AN: Hello! When I was still at school I had to multi-task like Sakura to be ready in time. Now that I am at university nothing much has changed, just the clothes. And the time, yet I still manage to be late. Yes, yes… sad isn't it? **

**Thank you for the reviews!**

**Tella**


	4. Chapter 4

**Apartments**

**AN: I do not own Card Captor Sakura**

**Chapter 4**

I nearly jumped out of my skin when I opened my eyes. Across from me was the girl, sleeping with the pillow pulled tightly against her body as she hugged it… In my bed! She didn't hear or feel me when I sat up. I sure as hell remember going to bed alone last night.

I silently climbed out and made my way to the kitchen. My eyes fell on my half open balcony door. So that is where the little bugger got in. She must have sneaked in when I was fast asleep. Kids! What am I to do with this one? I glanced to my room, but no sound came from it. Sighing I switched on the kettle and leaned on the counter. I felt my head bump slightly against the cupboard as I leaned my head back. What am I going to do?

The water came to a boil and I poured it into my mug with coffee. Sighing again I made my way to my computer. I clicked through the files automatically. The document opened leaving me to stare at the text. My eyes scanned through it.

Beautiful, energetic, open, caring, a loner, lonely, silent, wordy, careful, daring… All words I used to describe the girl in the pieces I have written so far. But nothing, none of the descriptions or the dialogue or even the story managed to capture the essence that is the girl.

I closed the document. I clicked on its icon again. Shift, delete. It's gone. A sudden sense of relief and dread ran through my body. Months of work deleted in one go, months of rubbish destroyed forever.

I sipped my coffee and tapped my mug lightly with my fingers. Tap, tap, tap. Tap, tap, tap. The hot liquid was bitter as it slid down my throat. Naoko is going to kill me when she finds out. But I'd rather have nothing than rubbish to give to her.

Shit.

"Why did you delete it?" I looked up at the girl. She was standing there, with her hair at all ends, her pyjamas crinkled and the pillow still in her arms. "Wasn't it good enough?"

"No, it wasn't."

"But you worked so hard on it."

"Not hard enough. I can't get it to sound right. The character… She isn't who she is supposed to be."

"Who is she suppose to be?" She pulled up a chair and sat down next to me. Her eyes were soft when she looked at me. The pillow still tightly clutched against her body.

"You." I looked away as I let the word slip from my mouth. Now she knows. My dream character is her. She is the one person I desire to write about, to learn more about, to know inside and out.

"What do you want to know?" I frowned at her. "You need to know someone before you can write about them. Here." She stuffed my notebook and a pen into my hands. "I'll tell you, you can decide what you like and what you want to use. Let's see… I was born in Tomoeda, 1 April. My mom is Nadesiko and my dad Fujitika Kinomoto. I have an older brother, Toya, who is seven years my senior. So he is close to your age.

"I attended Tomoeda elementary and later Tomoeda High… if we didn't move I would have attended the same collage my brother did. My mom died when I was three, my brother moved out of the house when he finished university… Oh, my best friend it Tomoyo. She's a bit of a rebel, but very sweet."

I wrote down the names and approximate time frames in between as she continued to tell me about herself. She told me about her mother's illness and how she died. She told me about how her father devoted his time to his children and to his job. She told me about how her brother would call her names to annoy her and how he would protect her when he thought she was in danger.

She told me about her life in school, how she never really did fit in anywhere. She told me about her friend Tomoyo, the one she calls a rebel. And how they would get into mischief together… She told me about when Tomoyo first told her that she slept with her boyfriend and how for a brief moment it changed her view about her friend.

She told me about her grandfather who she hardly ever sees, but love dearly. She told me about her dreams, her nightmares, her hopes and wishes, her aches and pains, her longings, her losses, her gains, her wins, her desires, her repulsions… She told me about her life.

She told me everything up to the point they moved to this apartment complex. I was enthralled by this girl's simple, yet somehow complicated life. In her seventeen years she has experienced so much and yet so little.

But above all I realised one thing. She is wise. She is incredibly wise for her years, and it somehow scared me. Such a young girl, a young woman, should not be walking around with all those heavy thoughts in her mind. That is why she doesn't have friends her own age. She scares them. That is why she calls me her friend. I am able to understand her. I am able to comprehend the multiple meanings she carries in her sometimes carefully chosen and sometimes reckless words.

I wonder if her teachers see it.

I wonder if her peers are able to see it.

I wonder if her family sees it.

"Shh… Sakura." My voice was gentle as my touch when I pushed her hair from her face. "You don't have to tell me all of this."

"But if I want to?" Her green eyes were pleading. They were pleading for someone to understand her in some way.

"If you want to, you can tell me anything you want." She smiled slightly.

"I'll tell you something no one else knows. Something that I've been hiding for a very long time." Her eyes fell to her lap as she pulled the pillow tighter against her. "I hate being alone, but I always seem to end up alone."

"Kid…" I got up and wrapped my arms around the girl. I pulled her against me. I could feel her face press against my stomach. She let go of the pillow and wrapped her arms around my legs. "As long as I am here, you don't have to feel alone. Promise."

"Thank you Mr Li."

"I'm not mister."

"Syaoran."

"That's better." I pulled her arms from my body and kneeled down to look her in the eye. Her green eyes were flooded with emotions as she stared at me. "So, are you going to help me write this book? Its long weekend and we have three months worth of work to catch up on."

"I'm not good with words."

"Nonsense. You just need a little practice. But first things first… Breakfast."

"I swear Yue, if you don't come and pick up your toys from these stairs right now I am going to throw them away!" I sighed at the girl's voice as she threatened the little boy from down the hallway. Added, his toys lying everywhere is a bit of a nuisance, but it always seems to be Sakura to do something about it.

"You're not my mom!"

"No I'm not. I say something once and then I act on my threat."

"You can't do anything to me!"

"Wanna bet? I want those cars gone when I come back up." I laughed slightly when the boy walked whining down the hallway in the opposite direction. He had no intentions of cleaning up his toys. And most of the time everyone lets him do what he wants. He's the only kid in the entire apartment block and the rest are mostly young singles or older couples.

I suppose Yue got a bit spoiled between all the cool drink and cookies. It's just Sakura who doesn't seem to fall for his charm and wits – as much as a seven year old has. "They are going!" I laughed at Sakura's threatening voice. "Going, going… oh Ninja Turtle, I'll keep that one for myself."

"You can't take my toys!"

"Watch me! It's the blue one, I like the blue one."

"You don't even know his name."

"And you do?" I sighed as I stood up and walked to my door. I laughed at all the amused faced poking there heads outside to see the new strict teenager battle is out with the spoiled pre-teen. "Oh, another red car! And look here… A dump truck. Perfect for the rats on the dump."

"No!"

"It's Jack Sparrow the Lego man. Perfect for my little pirate section I have in my room. I'll put him with my poster of good old Captain Jack."

"No! It's mine."

"Doesn't look that way… It's been lying here for three days and you didn't bother with it, so now its mine." I grinned at the girl as she stuffed her arms full of toys that she picked up on almost every step. "And another red… Aaaahhhhh!"

"Sakura!" My heart just about stopped. I watched the girl… fall. The toys fell from her arms as she fell backwards down the stairs. I pushed Yue aside as I dashed after the girl. Skipping steps along the way. I found her in the corner of the bend. Tears were streaking from her eyes. "Sakura! Are you alright?"

"It hurts."

"What hurts?"

"My arm." I pulled her up and this time my heart did stop. The girl's arm stood at an odd angle, tears were staining her beautiful face as she continuously mumbled that her arm hurts. With out thinking I picked the girl up and ran up the stairs with her. I grabbed my car keys and dashed down the stairs again with her still in my arms. A long the way I barked at Yue to pick his toys up this time.

I gently set the girl down in the passenger's seat. "Hold on kid." I stroked her face gently. "I'll get you to a doctor." I'm sure I ran over more than one speed trap, but I could care less at that stage. The girl was hurt, crying… and it was up to me to get her help. I think we made it to the hospital in record time.

When I entered the emergency ward with the girl in my arms nurses seemed to appear from almost everywhere, calling doctors and instructing me to put the girl down on a bed in a room. "Sir, are you her boyfriend? What happened?"

"She stepped on a toy from the kid in the apartment block and fell… Is she going to be alright?"

"Sir, the doctor will do everything within his power to ease her pain. What's the young lady's name?"

"Sakura… Sakura Kinomoto."

"Are you a relative?"

"No. Her dad is way on some business trip."

"Is Miss Kinomoto allergic to any medicine?"

"I don't know."

"How old is she?"

"Seventeen."

"I'm eighteen! You doofus!"

"Well you answer her questions then, smart mouth! Just a moment ago you will balling your eyes out."

"I'm still balling my eyes out and it still hurts! Some friend you are!" I glared at the girl's pale face as she glared at me. "You should shave again."

"What! For pity sake, you sit there with a broken arm or something and you tell me what to do!"

"If Yue listened to what I told him to do, this wouldn't have happened."

"He's seven Sakura!"

"I don't care how old the little brat is. He's a spoiled little twit! Owe!" I watched as a nurse forced her to lay flat on her back as the doctor examined her arm. "I told you not to encourage him and what did you say 'what's the harm?'. This is the damn harm! Owe!" The nursed forced her back onto the bed again and a male nurse started to push the bed out of the room to x-rays. "Oh no, you don't!"

"Hey!"

"You are coming with me! This is all your fault!" I tried to loosen her grip on me as she pulled me with, with her good arm. Her fingers curled itself tightly into my shirt pulling me next to the bed. I could hear people laughing at us and the nurses giggle at my little predicament.

"It's not my fault! I should have left you on the stairs."

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Then stop complaining, I ran through five speed traps for you."

"So, Toya ran through ten!"

"I'm not your brother!"

"Miss, you have to let go of your boyfriend now. He can't go into the x-ray room."

"I want to spoil his chances of having children ever again!"

"You are such a brat." I whispered at her as I pulled her hand off my shirt. I had ten minutes of semi peace as I sat outside with nurses pointing and giggling at me. The door opened again and I sighed as the girl was pushed out glaring at me.

"Care to repeat that?"

"You heard me."

"Wait until we get home Syaoran Li!"

"We'll kiss and make up."

"Says you."

"Knows me."

"You have really bad grammar for a writer."

"That's why I have a copy-editor love."

"I hate you."

"I love you too." I waved at her as they pushed her into a room again. I was more than aware of all the eyes watching me, but paid no heed to it. Good heavens. Who knew the girl could be so… Abusive, is that the word? Or perhaps more stubborn… Yeah, stubborn. Especially with a broken arm. I let a sigh escape me.

"Syaoran! Don't you dare leave me alone!" I looked at the roof in the hope that it would give me strength before making my way to the room. Behind me the giggles turned into full blown laughter.

"Not so loud." I sighed again as I sat down next to the girl and wrapped my arm around her shoulders. The doctor came in and told me to hold onto the girl as he straightened her arm and put the plaster around it. The girl was crying next to me when the doctor finished. "Hey, come now… Everything is over. Sakura?"

I let my thumb brush away her tears as I held her face in my hands. How small she seemed all of a sudden. "We'll get you your medication at the pharmacy and your medical aid will cover everything. And you can still write with your right hand. Hush now, Sakura. There is no need to cry."

"My mom died in this hospital."

"I'm sorry love."

"It's okay. I only remember the walls." I held onto the girl as she cried in my shirt. The doctor looked at me sympathetically and I half smiled at him. He must have seen so much death in his life…

"That's that. There is nothing more to worry about miss. Come and see me in six weeks time and I'll remove that cast for you. In the mean time, get your boyfriend here to spoil you a bit." He smiled encouragingly at her and I frowned. The guy's about my age!

"Thank you sir."

"Come on love, I'll take you home."

"Will you make me some of your lemonade?"

"Sure love." I glanced back at the doctor as I led the girl out of the room. He smiled at me – almost telling me… I should take care of her… she is a jewel. I glanced down at the girl holding tight onto me. What did they talk about in my few minutes of absence?

**AN: Hello! I visited my friend in the hospital yesterday (22 Sep). He was in a car accident, but is doing really well know. The doctor did such a good job that you can't even tell that they had to reconstruct half of his face! My friend will be his normal dark handsome self again. I'm so happy! **

**To those of you who read _Short Stories with Tragic Endings_, it's going to be on hold for just a bit. I have a problem with authority at the moment. Let's just say I had a really unpleasant experience with the police (what do you expect from a country in Africa). I will finish it though! Promise. **

**Has anyone seen Bobo? I haven't heard from her in a while and I'm kind of concerned. She's kind of become my pal. If you know if she is okay, let me know please.**

**Thank you for the great reviews!**

**Tella**


	5. Chapter 5

**Apartments**

**For Lizaan and Hannelie: L, you're into your new house! Enjoy it! And H, you got your degree too! Yippy for us! **

**AN: I do not own Card Captor Sakura**

**Chapter 5**

I watched the girl study, tapping her pen on her cast to a rhythmic beat as she mumbled to herself. My gaze drew back to my computer screen and I sighed. What a pathetic piece of writing. I turned my head to look out the window and sighed again. At least the summer heat was broken by the rain, but now the rain doesn't seem to stop.

It's almost a reflection of our relationship. Mine and the girl's. It was heated, uncomfortable, unpredictable and exhausting to a point. Now we have slipped into this comfortable silence that neither of us seem able or willing to break. When she gets home from school in the afternoons we eat together and then sit down each with our own work.

She has a lot more work too. Mid-term exams are creeping closer and I suppose she wants to be as prepared as possible. It is her final and most important year, and unlike me she is taking more responsibility for her academics. But I still feel that it is a shame that she doesn't go out with kids her own age. It is unfair of me too keep her here, cooped up with, lets face it, an old man.

I don't do the things kids her age do. I don't think the way kids her age do. I suppose one could argue that I don't act like the normal twenty four year old either. I spend most of my time at home, occasionally going out for a drive when the kid is not here, or to the pub with Eriol and some of my other mates.

I don't have a steady job, I don't have a girlfriend or fiancé or even a wife, I don't have a family nor am I expecting one anytime soon. I don't read the GQ for the latest sex tips or to ogle at the cover girl exposing herself. Sure, what guy wouldn't like to see a picture of a sexy girl only half dressed? Yet, it doesn't draw my interest.

I thought my interest was writing. Being able to create stories with words on paper and selling it to the world. I am good at it. At least I was good at it. Now I don't seem to be happy with anything I write about these days. Sighing I closed my laptop and walked out of the girl's apartment to my own. I put the thing down on the table before grabbing some Chelsea buns I bought earlier the day.

I paused in the girl's doorway when I looked at an unfamiliar back. It was girl, long and slender with long straight black hair. She had a huge suitcase next to her. "I suppose mother explained everything to your over the telephone."

"Yes, I organised everything."

"I really screwed up this time, haven't I?" The girl's voice was soft, disappointed in herself. I touched her shoulder gently and looked down at her when she stared up at me. "You're Sakura's neighbour, aren't you?"

"Yes. Syaoran Li, at your service."

"He only seems charming." I glared at the girl as she got up from her place and walked over to us. "Syaoran meet Tomoyo, my best friend. She will be staying here from now. Or until she wants to leave."

"As long as your father is aware of your arrangements I don't care. Would anyone like some coffee?"

"Tea please."

"I offered coffee."

"And I'm demanding tea."

"Brat." The girl stuck her tongue out at me before taking her friend to her new assigned room and making her comfortable. Eriol you fool, you really screwed up this time. What were you thinking? A pregnant teenager. And she is really showing already.

"See I signed you up for all the classes you had in Tomoeda. They also said that you have to take a class for extra credits so I signed you up for design. They really made some incredible dresses in that class. The teachers are also very nice. They were very impressed with your marks."

"Sakura, you didn't have to go through all this trouble for me."

"Nah, it was fun. I also signed us up for parenting classes. Dad said that it is good to be prepared and know what can come and could happen. We'll attend together every Monday night and dad said that we can use the free room with the boxes as a baby room."

"Aren't you angry at me?"

"For what? Everyone makes mistakes Tomoyo. It is how you deal with it that counts and I figured between you and me we can turn this 'mistake' into the best thing that ever happened to us. If we don't try, we'll never know, you know?"

"You seem a lot more open."

"I have a good listener, if he doesn't call me stupid names."

"What, like 'love'?" I teased her. I discovered that she hates being called pet names after she nearly assaulted me when we left the hospital and she realised what I called her. She'll tolerate 'kid' but nothing else.

"Watch it, or I'll drag you with to parenting classes."

"That could be fun."

"Hu? Are you feeling well, because you're not making any sense?" I shook my head at the girl and placed the tray with sweet treats and tea on the table. Tomoyo sat herself down next to me on the couch.

"Here you go, my dear."

"Thank you good sir."

"You two are doing it on purpose."

"Of course we are Sakura. I think Li and I can become very good friends."

"I'll drink to that." I smiled at the girl. She's sweet, like the kid said. So she made a mistake, but it seems that she is willing to live up to it and with Sakura next to her she seems to have a lot more courage to do just that as well. I leaned back and smiled as I listened to the two girl talk and catch up on gossip. How wonderful it must be to have a friend you can put your trust in.

I glared at the girl as I sat next to her. This is not how imagined my day to turn out. She shot me an angry look before sinking down further into her chair, crossing her arms over her chest in defiance. "Mr Li."

"Mr Yamazaki."

"I believe that you are the guardian of this young lady for the time being."

"Yes, her father asked me to keep an eye over her." I glanced at the angry faces of a boy Sakura's age and his parents.

"You do understand why Mr Yen's parents are here?" I nodded. I've been in that chair more than once, but never as the parent or the guardian. "Then you will understand when I say that the appropriate action needs to be taken."

"I'd like to hear both sides of the story first."

"Very well, Miss Kinomoto you shall start."

"He was calling me names, like he does every day. Normally I ignored it, but then he started saying nasty things about my friend. I told him to stop, he didn't but kept going until I was forced to take action."

"I don't know why you're even defending her. Some one knocked her up good." I could see the girl trembling with rage next to me.

"Oh, like your some kind of saint. I've only been here for a few months, but I already know that you got Clarissa McKnight pregnant while you were dating that Akane girl. And I saw you in the stationary room with that junior. Oh and guess what, you're still dating Akane."

"Do you have any proof of these allegations Miss Kinomoto?"

"No, but haven't you ever wondered why Clarissa came back a broken person after the long weekend? He forced her to have an abortion. At least my friend is willing to take responsibility for her actions and not shove it someone else's throat. Give me detention if you want, I could care less."

"Hensi, is this true?"

"What?"

"Did you call this girl and her friend names?" His father's voice was demanding. I could hear his tone daring his son to lie and face the consequences.

"Yes."

"Did you provoke her to attack you?"

"Yes."

"Very well. Miss Kinomoto, a week of detention for you. As for you Mr Yen, you are to spend every break and two hours after school in detention with an assigned teacher. Mr Yen's dating activities is out of my and the school's hands. Thank you for your time lady and gentlemen." I watched the Yen family leave before turning to Sakura.

"I can't say that I am pleased."

"If I remember correctly Mr Li, you were not the model student yourself."

"No and I never got off easy either."

"Miss Kinomoto has received punishment enough." I let my fingers tilt up her face. She had a bruise under her eye and a busted lip. Compared to the boy she looked good. I pulled a handkerchief from my pocket and wiped her lip clean from blood.

"What will Tomoyo say?"

"She'll ask if I beat him up good."

"Did you beat him up good?"

"Tomoyo!"

"Yeah! I beat his ass to a pulp. Owe! That hurts."

"It stings. And be grateful you didn't hurt your arm again. It's still healing." She huffed and tried to turn away from me. I forced her to face me and applied some anti-septic to her lip again. She complained loudly. "You can't go around and beat up every person who makes a comment about Tomoyo and her current situation. No offence dear."

"None taken." Tomoyo chimed from the kitchen.

"People are critical bastards, they will always have something to say."

"Owe! I know. But at least he won't open his big trap again. Owe!"

"Here is some tea. Dinner will be ready in a bit." Tomoyo strolled off smiling to herself with her hand on her apron covered belly. It's nice to have an extra pair of hands around to help out with the cooking. I was getting tired with coming up with new ideas.

"When is this stupid cast coming off?"

"In three weeks." The girl groaned and I could not help but laugh. I applied some ointment to the bruise under her eye. "There you go."

"Thank you." She mumbled. I placed a soft kiss on her forehead and walked off.

"Ohh! He likes you."

"Of course he likes me, we're friends."

"I mean like-like."

"Shut up you idiot, he can hear you." I stood out of sight as I listened to their conversation. Am I that obvious?

"And you like him."

"No I don't!"

"Then why are you blushing like a mad idiot?"

"I'm not blushing, it's that stuff he put on me." Perhaps I am spending too much time with the girl. Though Mr Yamazaki did not object. Even when he talked to me in private… He encouraged my friendship with the girl. Friendship being the key word here. I cannot allow my feelings… We are to remain friends only. After all, anything else would be inappropriate and I need to respect her reputation and mine.

"Li! Dinner is ready." I sighed when Tomoyo called me. What a sight we three must make out to be. Two teenage girls, one pregnant, friends with a man of twenty four. I leisurely made my way to the table and sat myself down next to the girl. They were chatting away, drawing me into the conversation every now and again and that is when I realised something.

I feel at ease with these two girls. I don't have to keep my guard up around them like I have to do with most grown ups. They take me as I am and in turn they ask nothing but a friendly smile and a shoulder to cry on every now and again. Perhaps our situations might look a bit weird, but most friends are strange in one way or another.

I looked up when there was a knock on the door. I am not expecting anyone. I looked at the girls and they both shrugged at me. "I'll get it." Sakura chimed as she got up. Tomoyo smiled at me as we continued to eat. "Syaoran, you have a visitor." I looked at the girl as she came waltzing back. I choked on my food when I saw the person behind her.

"Mother?"

"Am I not allowed to visit my only son?"

"No of course." I jumped up and pulled out a chair for her. I glared at Sakura as she snickered to her friend. "Please join us."

"I'll get another plate." I watched my mother raise an interesting eyebrow at Tomoyo when she stood up exposing her pregnant belly. And her eyebrow didn't fall when she looked at Sakura and her wounds. Tomoyo placed a plate and cutlery in front of my mother before sitting herself down. "I'm Tomoyo Daidouji, it's a pleasure to meet you Mrs Li."

"Sakura Kinomoto." The girl mumbled next to me and I stabbed her with my elbow in the ribs. "Will you stop that?" She hissed at me.

"Behave yourself." I hissed back. "To what do I owe the pleasant surprise mother?" My mother's amused expression did not go past me and I swallowed, knowing that this might just turn out to be a very embarrassing visit for me.

"I have come to remind you of our annual ball Xiao-lang dear." I shoved my elbow in the girl's ribs again when she snickered at the name my mother used for me – my proper name I might add. "And I do hope that you will bring your two charming guests with."

"They're not my guests."

"I'm his neighbour, and she's my friend who's staying with me. Dad put him in charge. Not that it helps, since we take care of you most of the time."

"And I suppose that big bruise under your eye is just the perfect example of how you manage to stay out of trouble when I'm not around."

"I'll beat your sorry ass."

"I'm twice that little twerp's size." The girl and I glared at each other as we both stuffed heaped forks of food into our mouths.

"What ball is it Mrs Li?"

"The annual summer Li corporation ball."

"Oh yes, mother attended on several occasions."

"So you are well aware of it Tomoyo?"

"Yes, I attended myself once. Though I am afraid I was only six years old at the time. I suppose it will be held at the city hall centre again?"

"Naturally. I do hope you and your friend will join us. Perhaps my son can take her as his date."

"WE ARE NOT DATING!"

**AN: Hello! Long time no see. He he. I have good reason though… I GOT MY DEGREE! Oh yeah, uh-hu! That's right, I got my degree. Three years of studying my butt off – it was nice though. Now I want to do my honours! **

**This fic seems to be popular for some reason. Nnn… I wanted it to be dark and gloomy when I started, but I find that _Short Stories with Tragic Endings_ is gloomy enough for my taste - the name says it all. I put in divider thingies, seeing as people complained that it's confusing. It was suppose to be confusing, but what the heck. I'm in a good mood. **

**SUMMER HOLIDAY! For me! For me! Winter for you guys there up in the North. I can finally try out my new bikini top! AND Christmas is coming – all the pretty decorations are so nice to look at. Sigh.**

**Oh and to GRRR: Chill girl. You get stupid people in the world, but that is life. Just ignore it.**

**Thanks for the reviews! **

**Tella**


	6. Chapter 6

**Apartments **

**AN: I do not own Card Captor Sakura**

**Chapter 6**

I groaned when I heard the door open the girls walk in talking excitedly about the one thing they have been talking about all week. That damned ball! The worst of it all is that the damned thing is tonight. Tonight! How I wish it was still Monday and I could stay at home and watch television.

"We found Tomoyo a dress."

"And other clothes. Who knew the maternity section had such a wide selection." I glanced at the girls as they sat down across from me and pulled out several items of clothing to show me. They pulled out a blue top and Tomoyo held it against her body.

"I like that one." I mumbled before closing my eyes again to sleep the dull afternoon away. I don't know how they managed it, but they have somehow turned to separate apartments into one big house. They came in and left like they pleased, never once asking me permission. I suppose it do the same thing, might as well. If you can't beat them, join them.

"What are you going to wear Syaoran?"

"A suit."

"And what are you going to do about that hair and beard wolf-man?" I glared at the girl as she sat grinning in her chair. She had her legs crossed, exposing her smooth thighs as her shorts rode up. Her sandal was dangling from her toes and her cocky grin made her all just so much more alluring. I lifted a brow when she stood up and sat down next to me, her hip touching mine.

She leaned over me, her eyes studying me intently. "What are you looking at?" I growled and closed my eyes, trying to block her from my senses. I could feel her fingers running through my hair before they gently touched my face.

"We need to cut again."

"What?" I sat up straight, right into the girl. She moaned and cursed as she placed a hand over her bruise. Panicking I pulled her hand away and looked at the bruise. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." I mumbled as I gently touched the fading blue mark, making sure that I didn't damage her skin any further. "Are you alright?"

"I've been better." She mumbled before glaring at me. "In the bathroom now." I narrowed my eyes at her. "Tomoyo, you're in charge of the make-over. Do something about his fringe, won't you?"

"What the hell do you… Hey!" Tomoyo pulled me up and to the bathroom before placing me on a stool. In the corner of my eye I could see the girl walk into my room. "Get out of my room Kinomoto." I yelled and she ignored me. "Kinomoto, I'm talking to you."

"Shut up, I'm doing you a favour." Came her reply. I cursed her various names under my breath as Tomoyo started to cut my hair. I don't know why I'm even going along with this. I can just get up and leave. Yeah right, then I will be faced with two sulking girls for the next three weeks.

Tomoyo worked fast, cutting off only bits. Her pale fingers expertly using the scissors and my hair as she cut it layer by layer. "Look up please." I looked up at her. Her blue eyes studied my fringe and a small smile pulled onto her pink-glossed lips. I can see what Eriol saw in her, but I still think what they did was wrong. The last of the hair fell and she ruffled her fingers in my hair. "There. After you shaved you will look like a new man."

"And what if I don't want to?" She smiled at me before she closed the bathroom door. I frowned at the girl as she sat herself down on the edge of the bathtub and took my hands in hers.

"If you don't want to do it for yourself, do it for Sakura Syaoran. She might not show it, but she really cares about you. You have become someone she depends on. And I admire you holding back for her sake, but sometimes holding back isn't the best option. A kiss is only that, a kiss. It's when you do something as stupid as this" She pointed to her belly. "you should start worrying."

I watched her walk out of the room to their apartment to get ready and glanced at myself in the mirror. I've been caught up in this world of mine for so long… I opened the tap and let warm water fill the basin. The shaving cream smelled fresh and I smiled when I realised that one of the girls exchanged my old razor blade with a new blade.

The water in the shower was refreshing and when I entered my room I found my bed made, my suit neatly laid out with a black shirt and tie they apparently bought for me. Even my shoes were clean. I pulled on my clothes and tied back my hair, grabbed my keys and cell phone and made my way to the girls' apartment.

I smiled at the girl when she looked up at me from the kitchen, a mug in her hands steaming with hot tea. She smiled back as she took a step closer and stood on her toes. Her fingers gently brushed through my fringe. "Perfect." I did not reply, all I could do was stare at her green eyes and be pulled in by her enchanting essence.

I absentmindedly touched her make-up covered bruise. Even with a broken arm and a blue mark on her face she was beautiful… Dressed in a dark green dress folding in all the right places, touching the ground more than just a bit when she lowered herself down from her toes. "Sakura, you forgot your shoes." Tomoyo walked into the kitchen carrying a pair of black sandal heels.

"You look lovely Tomoyo." I commented on her blue dress.

"Thank you, you don't look bad yourself. Come on Sakura, shoes, lip gloss and then we need to go. We can't be late for Syaoran's family ball." Tomoyo pushed the girl into the living room and onto a sofa before pushing the shoes in her hands.

"Family ball?"

"Don't tell me you didn't know that Syaoran is one of the heirs of the multi-million dollar Li corporation."

"I'm only a share holder Tomoyo. My sisters are quite capable of running things on their own."

"Still, we need to create a scandal."

"And why would I want to do that?"

"More sensationalism for your next novel?" She leaned closer to me as I watched the other girl struggled to get her shoes straps tied. "I'm just trying to freak her out."

"It's working." I mumbled back as I walked over to the girl and tied her straps for her. When was I reduced to babysitting? "Come along then." I listened to the girls talk about their different schools. Sakura hates hers, while Tomoyo immediately fell in love with the school she is attending. Apparently Sakura chose all the right subjects for her pregnant friend and she warmed the right harts by helping her friend the way she did and is doing.

"Next Monday after school they are holding a baby care workshop. I asked if I could bring you with and they said yes if you're not busy."

"I'll be there." I smiled when the girls took one another's hands in a comforting gesture. "Just how many people are going to be at this ball thing?"

"Only all the major super rich people of the country, celebrities, models, designers…" She sighed.

We pulled up at the entrance and I turned to look at the girls. "Two rules. Rule number one: No alcohol for you, it's not healthy for the baby." I looked at Tomoyo then turned my gaze to the girl. "Rule number two: No alcohol for you, you have to study tomorrow and Monday you're writing a test. Got it?"

"Yes sir." The girl mumbled while Tomoyo only nodded enthusiastically. I climbed out of the car and helped the girls out before extending my arms to them. Sakura held onto my left arm with her good right arm. It's a shame that he cast couldn't come off before tonight. She still has two weeks to go. I smiled at them before we walked up the stairs to the entrance.

I feel odd escorting someone to this place, let a lone two teenage girls. I could hear whispers follow us as I directed them to our assigned table. "Xiao-lang dear!" I stopped myself from groaning as I turned around to look at my mother. "Oh I am so glad to see you could bring them."

"Did I have much of a choice?"

"Of course not dear." I glared at the girl as she snickered next to me. "Help yourself to champagne. Tomoyo dear, there are some non-alcoholic drinks available. Would you like a glass Sakura?"

"She's not to drink mother."

"Well, why on earth not?"

"Yes, do enlighten us as to why I'm forced to stay sober." I glared at the girl and she sent me a challenging look. I narrowed my eyes at her even more daring her to say another word. She turned away from me to stare at some of the other guests.

"She needs to study. I probably can safely assume that my dear sisters are here."

"Naturally." I sighed. "I'm off, Mrs Daidouji from Toys Inc just arrived."

"Mother?" I let Tomoyo follow my mother to her own mother. I turned to look at he girl who was suddenly clinging to my arm. I touched her hand and she looked up at me, almost scared.

"I don't like the way they are looking at me." She whispered in a rushed hushed voice. I looked in the direction she nodded. It was a group of me around eighteen and up if I wasn't mistaken. With Yue and Clow in the middle of them grinning like cats who just stole some cream.

"They're just being stupid. I'll introduce you."

"I'm not too keen on that."

"Too bad." I pulled her through the crowd, greeting those who glanced at me, returning words of kindness and well wishing when turned my way. All the while the girl held onto my arm, half hiding behind me. "Yue, Clow." I greeted when we finally reached them.

"Hey Syaoran. I see you finally have a date." The girl huffed next to me. "And she's hot too when you look past the broken arm." She narrowed her eyes at Yue, daring him to say it again. "If you get tired of him honey, I'm yours for the night."

"Yeah right. And it's Kinomoto to you."

"You're not actually dating this little spitfire, are you? I thought you were more into the passive kind of girl. You know, those that don't give you trouble." I frowned at Clow.

"She's not trouble, most of the time. And we're n…"

"Especially in the bedroom, hey Syaoran? With a hot little body like that to hold onto every night I am sure you are sleeping well."

"Wouldn't you like to know." The girl bit back and I nearly choked. "He's not my boyfriend. His mother invited my friend and myself and he is the only person I know here. And no I don't want your number, I am not going to give you mine and stop trying to look down my dress. There is a reason they invented strapless bras." I watched the girl storm off through people.

"Nice going Clow. She'll be grumbling for the next week."

"Dude, where did you find her?"

"She's my neighbour."

"I wish I had a neighbour like her."

"Only on her good days Yue." And on her bad days you want her even more. I walked off to go find the girl. I searched for quite a while before finding her on a balcony hidden in the shadows, betrayed by her white cast. "Sakura, I'm sorry they are a bunch of jerks…"

"It's okay." I leaned with my back against the wall next to her and smiled down at her. I followed her gaze up to the clear night sky, filled with only a few stars visible through the smog. Inside the music picked up and I knew they opened the dance floor for the guests. "Syaoran, can I ask you a favour?"

"Depends on the favour."

"Will you be my date for prom please? I'm not exactly the most popular girl in school, but I still want to go… Just not…. alone."

"Why are you worrying about it now? It's only at the end of the year."

"I know. I'm still a girl you know."

"I know." I kept my eyes on the sky when I felt her fingers brush against mine. A small smile slipped onto my lips as I laced my fingers with hers. And we stood like that for most of the night, hand in hand looking up at the stars or down at the city lights. Not saying a word, not daring to look at one another…

We were just two people holding hands. I wasn't a writer several years older than her, and she wasn't my eighteen year old neighbour. She was simply the girl I fell in love with the first time I saw her, and I was simply a love struck fool unwilling to admit it to her with words.

"Eriol, I don't want to talk to you right now." I glanced at the door as Tomoyo came storming through with Eriol hot on her heels.

"Tomoyo please…"

"Don't 'Tomoyo please' me. I've learned form my mistakes, you being the single biggest one of my life and I am not about to let you ruin my child's life as well." Tomoyo glanced at Sakura when the girl took hold of her shoulders in support. "Sakura already arranged everything for me. I am going to finish school and I will start my own business and I will raise this child on my own. It will never hear the name Eriol or Hiiragizawa in its life and it will grow up with the knowledge that you are for all practical reasons dead."

"Please… Just let me…"

"You did not only screw up my life Hiiragizawa. You broke your wife and yourself, you placed an extra burden on my mother and my friend and you left me." Tears started pouring form the girl's eyes as she let her heart spill onto her lips. "You left me. You promised me that you would stay and you didn't. You went back to your wife which you so eagerly convinced me you didn't have. You lied to me as well.

"I might be a teenager and I might still be at school, but I am not stupid. If you could cheat on your wife you can cheat on me. If you could lie to your wife and your lover, you can lie to your child and I am not willing or prepared to allow that to happen."

"Tomoyo please…"

"Let I go Eriol. You are both emotional right now, come back when you have calmed down and thought everything through. It's not just your life that is hanging in the balance here." I watched my old friend. His blue eyes spoke of years of hurt and disappointment and it ate at me to see him like that, but I knew that what I was doing was right. No one can talk or think rationally when they are as emotional as these two.

"See you around Syaoran."

"I'll come by some time." I watched him walk away and turned to the girls. Sakura was holding a sobbing Tomoyo in her arms, her eyes pleading me to take them away from this place and I did just that. I took them home and climbed into bed alone and feeling hurt myself. I felt like I betrayed Eriol, but I had to. For the sake of that girl and her baby, they have so much more at stake.

"Fuck it!" I threw a glass and it shattered against my closet. "Fuck it!" I buried my face in my hands, angry at myself. Angry at Eriol. "Fuck." Two slender arms, one in a cast, pulled me against a slender body. I just lay there in her arms, my mind cursing my body and itself for what was said and done until I felt numb with anger.

And then it died and all I could feel was the rise and fall of the girl's chest as I rest my head against her body. All I could feel was her arms wrapped around my body, holding me tight, comforting me… "Tomoyo is just angry." Came her soft voice form the darkness.

"How is she?"

"Sleeping. She cried herself to sleep." Her fingers brushed through my hair as she played with it and all I did was stare at the bedside table in the dark. I let my hand search for hers and laced my fingers with her slender ones. She held onto me as I listened to her breathing deepen into the even breath of someone sleeping. When I looked up at her she was lost to slumber land.

She's been putting so much into the preparation of her friend's baby arrival and her studies. And now I have demanded more of her time and energy through my violent outburst. I smiled slightly at her as I pulled her down next to me to lay a little more comfortable. Her lips curled up slightly when I placed a soft kiss on her cheek. "Goodnight kid."

"Goodnight Syaoran."

**AN: Hello! Some of you guys asked in what I got my degree. You're going to laugh at this part, because, and I have to admit it, it is totally ironic. I got my degree in PUBLISHING. Anyways, things are far from drawing to the end for Syaoran, but they are heating up nicely. Next chapter, which I have actually started writing (can you believe it?), is going to see a whole lot of inner turmoil for the poor young man. **

**And just because I am in a nice mood I'll give you a chapter teaser: **"_How do you do it?" I looked back at my friend, frowning at his question. "How can you sit with her day after day burning to be with her, but never touching her?" I turned away…_

**What will Syaoran's answer be? That is the question that will be answered in the next exciting chapter of _Apartments_. Oh! I sound like that soaps where they give a small slice of what is to come in the next episode. Ha ha! 'Next in Egoli…' (Egoli is a local soap here that my mom watch, totally boring. I prefer 7de Laan.) **

**Thanks for the reviews!**

**Tella**


	7. Chapter 7

**Apartments**

**AN: I do not own Card Captor Sakura**

**Chapter 7**

I awoke to the smells of bacon and a body beneath my own. When I opened my eyes I stared straight into the girl's sleeping face. I closed my eyes again. I want to remain this way for the rest of the day. I don't want to think, I don't want to write… I want to go back to last night when we were only two people, nothing more.

Her fingers brushed through my hair and I could feel her turning her head ever so slightly to look at me. "Syaoran, time to get up." Her voice was a whisper, so close to my ear I could feel her breath on my skin. I pressed my face in the crock of her neck, not just yet willing to let her go. "Tomoyo is already busy with breakfast."

"So?" I asked, marvelling at the feel of her skin against my lips when I spoke that single word. I just want to stay like this, just for a little while longer. "We'll go when she is done." The girl nodded without a word. And I stayed that way for a little while longer, my face touching her skin and her nails softly scratching my shoulder blade in no pattern in particular.

I must have fallen asleep again, because when I woke up soft classical music was playing in my apartment. Tomoyo and Sakura were seated around the table each with school books in front of them, one doing homework and the other studying. Tomoyo was the first to see me and she greeted me with a warm smile. "Morning." The girl looked up at me smiled a quick smile and turned back to her books. "Breakfast is in the microwave."

"Thanks." I ate, showered and left. I needed to find Eriol, to see if he was alright. To see… To see if he would forgive me for what I had said last night. I pulled my bike up into the parking lot of his apartment complex and pulled the helmet from my head. And I couldn't recall any moment I ever felt so nervous to see my old friend.

He opened the door some time after I've knocked. His black hair was in a mess, he had bags under his eyes and his glasses seemed to be only barely hanging on. He was still in his tux, or at least his shirt and pants which were wrinkled and looked terrible. In short his outer reflected his state of mind. "Eriol…" He walked away from me and I followed him into the apartment. "Eriol I'm sorry."

"Some friend you turned out to be, Syaoran Li." I narrowed my eyes at him.

"You can at least try and see it from the girl's perspective. She's still at school damn it. It is not like she can just drop everything and care for the baby for the rest of her life. She needs to be able to support herself and the kid. Damn it Eriol, she's only eighteen years old. I'm sorry, but you both fucked up and you need to decide what the hell you are going to do about it."

"Fuck you Syaoran. Fuck you and your prefect life. Fuck you, because I don't know what the hell to do!" He yelled at me. Ignoring his tone of voice I sat down, watching him run a hand through his messy hair. "I didn't even know the damn woman was pregnant until last night. How can I possibly make this right?"

"You can't." He looked at me, lost, confused and so utterly alone. "You can't make it right." He nodded dully. "But you can take responsibility for your actions and get involved. The kid, Sakura, has taken over the burdens of parenthood you should be carrying. You can lighten both the girls' loads just by being involved."

"How?"

"Be a friend. Be a parent." I grabbed a notepad and pen he always keeps lying around and wrote down the address and time. "There is going to be a parenting workshop at the girl's school tomorrow. The kid and I are tagging along, but it would be better if you were the one attending instead of us. Every Monday night they are going to attend birth-and-baby classes as well. You can start there."

I stood up and grabbed my helmet before heading for the door. I need to check up on the girls. Or rather Sakura, to see if she has been studying like I told her to. "How do you do it?" I looked back at my friend, frowning at his question. "How can you sit with her day after day burning to be with her, but never touching her?" I turned away, suddenly feeling the girl's fingers running through my hair, her arms wrapped around me, the skin of her neck against my lips, her fingers laced with mine…

"Who said I've never touched her?" And with that I left him sitting on his couch. I have my own sins to stand trail for. I have my own desires I need to keep in control. I can't be held responsible for his as well. So I left him, alone, and I was angry at myself again. Angry that I have to leave him. Angry that I am just as weak as he is.

When I got home only the kid was still there. It turns out Tomoyo had to go lay down. Her energy seems to becoming less and less the girl commented once. I suppose it is the growing baby inside of her that demands so much form her body. I checked up on her studying and left her to complete her work.

My bed felt comfortable when I fell down on it. I closed my eyes against the afternoon light trying to block out everything. The classical music still playing, the sound of Eriol's desperate voice in my ears, the beating of my stupid heart when I think about her… Everything.

I must have fallen asleep again, for the second time that day, because when I woke up her small hand was stroking my cheek. I placed my hand over hers and pulled it away. "Don't touch me." I mumbled without looking at her.

"Why?"

"Because," I turned my gaze up to her. "it's not right."

"You don't honestly believe that, do you?" She pushed her hands down next to my head as she hovered over me, trapping me. "For goodness sake Syaoran, you're only six years older than me." Her green eyes told me of a hidden anger she's been keeping in. "And all this crap about calling me 'kid' and treating me like one… Who are you trying to fool?" She pushed herself up forcefully and started to walk away. "Because you're not fooling me."

I don't know what over came me. I don't know what sparked me to do it. Perhaps it was something she said. Perhaps it was the way she said it, or just the way she looked at me. But when I came around I had pinned her to the wall. "What the fuck do you want from me?" I growled at her.

Her eyes searched mine for a moment, her chest rose and fell against mine and I pressed my body hard against hers. She licked her lips and I cursed her inside my mind for that small action. Her voice came out a soft broken whisper, afraid but determined. "You. I want you."

"Sakura…" I mumbled her name as I let my head fall onto her shoulder. I could feel her hands take hold of my shirt as she pulled me against her. I wrapped my arms around her and we just stood there holding each other. A broken man and a girl with a broken arm. Why? Why? You can do so much better, my mind asked her. Why?

Yet I could not ask her, just as I could not move. I stood rooted, holding the girl tightly and totally unwilling to let her go. Unable to let her go. Have I really come to depend on her that much? Has she become such a part of my life? I tried to remember what it was like living here before I met her.

Back then I could write. I was a best selling author. Back then I went out and got drunk only to arrive home wasted. I was a boy. Back then I sped on my bike at incredibly irresponsible speeds. I was a thrill seeker. Back then I used to grin at the reputation I carried from school. I was lost in time.

Back then I didn't have her and I was so damn miserable.

Her sent was sweet and intoxicating, laced with vanilla. I pressed my face into the crook of her neck. Her skin is soft and inviting. Her breath touching me every now and again made me burn with desire. I was caught in her trap, unable to escape, unwilling to do so. "You should be walking away." I mumbled.

"Why? You haven't given me a reason to." I looked at her, my hand reached up and gently stroked her face, following the contours of her soft jaw line. She closed her eyes, surrendering herself to my touch and I leaned in. Slowly closing the gap between us, until my lips brushed against hers.

Her taste was sweet, chocolate, tea and cherry lip gloss. I could feel her arms snake up around my neck, her cast uncomfortable… I tasted her lips, kiss after kiss. Her soft lips moved against mine, kissing me back, begging for more. I drowned in her chocolate, tea and cherry when I deepened the kiss. And the world was lost to me.

I could hear nothing, I could feel nothing, I could taste nothing but this girl. This girl I have longed for for so long. This girl I have been dreaming of night after night. This girl who could make my skin tingle for the entire day with just one brief touch. This girl I am so in love with…

"Sakura?" Somewhere in the back of my mind I could hear a familiar voice call her name. I pushed it out, ignored it. "Sakura, are you here? It's your dad on the phone." The girl suddenly pushed me away, her eyes wide as she ran to her friend.

"Daddy!" I grinned as I watched her flushed face turn brighter when she talked to her father on the cell phone. Tomoyo lifted a knowing eyebrow at me and I simply smiled at her before she walked back to their apartment. "No, no. Everything is fine. Yes, I will. I will. Have you heard from Toya? Oh, could you ask him to call me sometime please? I would like to talk to him once in a while. Bye dad. Love you too."

She placed her cell phone on the table. Eyes down cast. "Dad has to stay longer." I nodded even though she could not see me. "He says thank you, you know… For looking after Tomoyo and me. It will be another month…" I let my hand rest on her shoulder and she looked up at me for a brief moment before resting her head against my chest.

I watched young girls with pregnant bellies talk excitedly with one another. Here and there there were some older mothers, the mothers of the girls, talking with their daughters and on the odd occasion a boyfriend was to be seen. I stood tall next to the two girls, and being the tallest guy around it didn't take much effort.

Tomoyo and Sakura were talking to one of the teachers, Sakura eager to hear what Tomoyo has been up to and the teacher eager to brag about her new star student. I smiled as I looked over all the girls, it will do Tomoyo good to hear that she is appreciated in more than just a friendship. "And are you the father?" I lifted a brow at the teacher.

"Syaoran? Oh no, Mrs Hikaru. He's our neighbour and friend, he's actually our guardian for the time being as well."

"Well… Syaoran, I am glad to see that you are willing to support these two girls in their time of need."

"Yeah… On a percentage rate, how many fathers would you estimate actually get involved and is it age related?" Sakura glared up at me and I ignored her. I'm curious and I want to weigh up my chances of Eriol actually pitching. These days I can't predict him anymore.

"I would say 30 of fathers, but that is in our school alone. And yes, age does have an influence. The older fathers tend to take more responsibility, but the much older fathers will deny the existence of the mother and child completely to protect what ever they have. The younger fathers just seem to disappear so to speak. Why do you ask?"

"Just curious."

"You haven't gotten a girl pregnant yourself have you?"

"What? No." I could feel my face heat up. How could she think that? Okay fine, it's not like I have not slept with women in my life. I've enjoyed the company of several before I…

"As if I would let that happen." I nudged the girl in the ribs and she glared up at me. "No Mrs Hikaru, Syaoran is for the most part very responsible."

"You two aren't dating, are you?"

"No." We both answered. She looked at us and I looked away. "Yes."

"You're not a very intimate couple, are you?"

"What is that suppose to mean?" I looked down at the girl, now frowning at the teacher.

"You don't touch, hold hands, or kiss very often do you?"

"No, why force it down other people's throats?" The girl mumbled next to me.

"And your sex life?"

"Sex?!"

"Not so loud you dim wit." I hit her with a brochure I received earlier on the head as several mothers turned our way. "We don't have one. She needs to finish school first without any interruptions." She grabbed the brochure from me and glared long and hard.

"Who appointed you my father?"

"Your father. And you will damn well listen to what I say. You can only start arguing with me when you are finished with school."

"Oh great, just what I need, another Toya." She huffed and walked off.

"Don't compare me to your brother!" I felt the brochure hit my back and grumbled under my breath as Tomoyo giggled. "Not funny."

"I'm sorry Syaoran, will you help me find a spot where we can practice?"

"Sure." I've given up my entire day for this baby care stuff anyway, I might as well join in I suppose. I wonder if I can use this in a story. This kind of setup.

And Eriol better damn well show. If he doesn't I am really going to give him a piece of my mind. And if things get out of control, perhaps my fist as well.

**AN: Can you even call what Syaoran and Sakura have a relationship? I don't know. Oh well, on to parenting classes for them. They kissed. About time, it's been moths and I think the 7th chapter is acceptable. I mean, this is not going to be an incredibly long fic to start with. At least, that is my planning. I never go beyond 20 chapters.**

**Christmas! It's Christmas! Jippy!!! Merry Christmas to you and to me! Ha ha! This is my gift to you.**

**I have to add. I gave my 2 best friends this HUGE opportunity to chop and to change this chapter as they please, they could add or take away what ever they wanted. And what did they do – NOTHING! I'm so crushed. I have become the perfect author. Sniff. Oh, that is so totally floating my own boat. Ha ha!**

**And a teaser: **_Our bodies were only separated by two thin layers of material and I suddenly realised just what a huge difference those thin layers of material we call clothes can make._

**Thanks for the reviews.**

**Tella**


	8. Chapter 8

**Apartments**

**AN: I do not own Card Captor Sakura**

**Chapter 8**

Surprise, surprise, Eriol didn't show. I slowed my bike as I came to the apartment's parking lot. I looked up at the building to his window. The lights were on, so he must be home. And hopefully without any company. I need to yell at him without an audience.

I pushed the elevator button and patiently waited for the metal box to come down and carry me up to the 8th floor. The stairs would probably be faster, but I need all the breath I have to yell some sense into that man's head.

He's a great friend, he really is. But sometimes… Sometimes I doubt that even he knows what he really wants form this life. He is always playing around, joking like nothing in the world could possibly do him any harm and then when he thinks you're not looking you can see him sink. You see him sink in the depths of darkness, his eyes become sullen and you wonder if it is the same Eriol you spoke to only a moment ago.

I don't know what happened to him to make him this way. I don't know what went wrong. He never told, I could never ask and in the end we both pretended that he was the same old Eriol I met at school. The Eriol that convinced me to grow my hair with him when we left school and went to collage, because, he said, you have to do it at least once in your life.

I knocked on his door and no answer came. "Eriol, open the door man. It's me Syaoran." I listened. I could hear the television in the background, but no sound other than that. Please don't tell me he drank himself to sleep again. "Eriol, open up or I'm coming in." I waited a couple of minutes and pushed open the door. "Eriol?"

The living room was Eriol free. There were some beer bottles lying around, as I expected. Perhaps he dragged his sorry ass to bed. He always did prefer sleeping on a bed than a couch. "Eriol, are you here?" I stepped into something wet and frowned at the red liquid sticking to my shoe. "Damn it Eriol, did you spill that sweet soda crap again? Eriol!"

Annoyed at him for ignoring me, even though I have been really loud just to spite him, I pushed open his bedroom door.

"Oh dear God."

When I finally got home it was three in the damn morning, my eyes burned and my head ached. I could hardly walk straight as I dumped my jacket and helmet on the couch along with my keys. I slowly pulled my clothes from my body as I just let them drop where ever as I made my way to my room.

I sat down on my bed, staring at nothing in particular. The white wall was dark in the night… And I just sat there. Not moving, not caring.

"Syaoran…" Somewhere in the back of my mind I could hear a soft feminine voice. Her voice. Yet I could not respond. I just sat there, staring out in front of me. Staring at the white wall in the darkness. My scenery changed. It was replaced by jean clad legs and then her face. Her caring face.

Her hand pushed hair from my face. "You…" I swallowed, it hurt to talk. It hurt so damn much. "You should be in bed. You have school tomorrow."

"I already phoned my teacher. Syaoran…" And for the first time in an incredibly long time I could feel tears clouding my vision before trailing down my face onto her soft skin. I cried. I cried. And she held onto me. She held onto me as I cried. I buried my face in her shirt as I clung to her and cried.

He's dead. He's dead. "He's dead." He's dead…

"I'm so sorry Syaoran, I am so sorry." She was trying to be strong, I could hear it in her voice. She was trying to be my pillar, to be my comfort. Even though I could feel her own tears falling on me and her voice waver as she desperately tried to keep her tears from her tone. It must be killing her to see me like this. To see her friend…

"Tomoyo..."

"Shh… Shh…" She stroked my hair as she whispered to me. "Tomoyo is fine. Just worry about yourself right now, okay?" She gently pushed me down onto the bed, her hands shaking as she moved carefully. She pulled off my shoes and I listened to them thumping to the floor. "Let me just take off your belt…" She whipped her eyes with the back of her hand. "Other wise you're going to have a stomach ache in the morning."

I dully complied, lifting my hips slightly as I felt the belt being pulled out before being dropped to the ground. She pulled the duvet over me. "Are you comfortable? Are you warm enough?" I looked at her tear stained face and wondered how I must look to her. A grown man, crying… "I'll go make some tea and then…" I grabbed her hand and pulled her down against me.

"Don't leave me, please don't leave me."

"I won't leave you." She tried to smile at me as she pulled off her shoes and climbed in under the duvet next to me. Her arms wrapped themselves around me, trying to comfort me as much as she possibly could. My fingers brushed over her cast and up her arm as I stared at the roof. A sudden calm fell over me. My fingers brushed over her arm, her cast and her arm again, constantly moving…

I closed my eyes and listened to her breathing. Steady, constant, so close… "Sakura…" Her hand touched my face as she leaned over me to look at me. I opened my eyes to look at her green ones. My own hand lifted to touch her beautiful face. "I…" I closed my eyes for a moment before looking at her again.

Her eyes were telling me that I didn't have to say anything, that I should try to get some sleep. I swallowed the lump in my throat as I pulled her down against me, holding onto her. I closed my eyes again and I could feel sleep slowly creeping closer to claim its hold on me. The girl's hand found mine and I laced my fingers with hers.

My throat burned, but I swallowed hard again. I need… I need to say this. Even if she walks away… I need… "I love you."

"I know." Came her whispered answer. "I know."

I listened to the girl's shallow breathing as she held onto me. Her nails were softly scratching my shoulder blade and she would press her lips against my hair every now and again as she whispered comforting words to me. I didn't move. I didn't give her a reason to believe that I am awake.

I let out a small breath as I continued to listen to her breathing and her heartbeat. Our bodies were only separated by two thin layers of material and I suddenly realised just what a huge difference those thin layers of material we call clothes can make. As I lay here in her arms I am a friend in need of some encouragement and a shoulder to cry on. Without our clothes she would have been the one thing I've desired for quite some time now. We would have been lovers.

And I knew how Eriol must have felt, what a thrill ran through his body when Tomoyo kissed him, touched him, held him, made love to him. To lie on the naked bosom of the one you love and desire the most. To feel her skin against yours, your bodies pressed so close together, your desires flooding from one to the other.

But the girl did not make love to me, she didn't touch me the way I wanted her to touch me and she didn't kiss me the way my dirty mind wanted her to kiss me. And she never answered me, not really. I didn't expect her to. She's only eighteen. Love at that age… Love at that age is an ungraspable concept.

She did, however, state that she knew that I love her. She knows that I desire to be with her in all physical ways possible and that I would like to deepen our emotional bond as well. She knows. If that means anything at all.

"I dream about you too." I resisted the urge to look up at her. Her voice was so soft and uncertain. "I dream of you every night." She took a deep breath. "I am so glad you're asleep right now." She laughed to herself. "I sound like such as school girl. I never told you, but the girls at school are totally jealous of me. They think we are lovers and that you adorn me with gifts." She laughed again.

"Ridicules, I know." Her voice suddenly became a soft whisper as I could hear the doubt in it. It has suddenly become much easier for her to talk to me, now that I am 'asleep'. "Why would a man like you pay any attention to a stupid school girl? I… I'm not mature enough… I can't even… I can only dream."

"Sakura…"

"Oh, Tomoyo!" She pulled herself out from under my body and set me down on the bed as gently as she could manage my heavy from. I watched her rush out of my room and towards her friend who needed comfort more than I did at that moment. I silently stood up, pulled my shoes and belt on and walked out the open door.

I didn't care that I looked like a mess or that people could see that I have been crying. I didn't care that my shirt hung at odd angles and that I probably still had blood covering me. Eriol's blood… I just didn't care. I kept walking until I reached the place I wanted to be the most. A place I haven't visited in years.

The bell jingled when I walked in and it jingled when I walked out half an hour later. I kept my eyes on the sidewalk in front of me as I made my way back to my apartment. I passed my jacket I tossed to the ground the night before and pulled off my shirt, letting it land next to it. Somewhere along the line I got rid of my shoes and belt and I was now standing in my bathroom.

I pulled off the last of my clothes and climbed under the beating hot water. I don't know how long I was under the shower, perhaps only for a few minutes, perhaps for a few hours. But when I got out and walked to my room the girl was there, making my bed and the clothes I had dropped all over the floor was in a neat bundle in the corner waiting to be washed.

"I'll be out in a moment." She mumbled as she straightened the last corner of my duvet and fluffed the pillows before arranging them to her liking. I stood frozen, unable to move as I watched her. She was still dressed in yesterday's clothes, her hair was a mess and the glimpses of her pale face I could see told me that she was tired.

She turned around and her eyes met mine in astonishment. "Oh Syaoran… You… You…" Her trembling fingers gently touched my bangs, brushing through my now short hair. I closed my eyes as I concentrated on her soft fingers running through my hair and down my neck. Her hand stopped on my chest. I looked down at her when she pressed her face against my chest next to her hand.

Her hands suddenly touched my naked back and I could feel her warm tears run down my skin.

**AN: So I got this crappy review from someone, complaining about this story yet again, and I was in a really bad mood at that time and got totally pissed – which usually doesn't happen, but feeling rotten just made everything seem 10 times worse. Anyway, so I thought I'd quit writing this story. It's not my favourite. I even wrote this huge author's note bitching and moaning about it all and setting a deadline of when I'm going to delete the stupid thing. **

**I think I still might delete this stupid story. One more complaint and this story is HISTORY! Yes, this isn't my best work – it is an experiment of sorts. Not a very successful one, but what the hell. Some of you already read _Between Heaven and Hell there is Earth._** **I totally dig that story. I even designed some images to accompany the story. Yeah, that is how excited I am about the damn thing. **

**See ya and thanks for the reviews!**

**Tella**

**PS. To **_Booyakashaw!_ **If you want to rag on something someone else did, especially if it concerns writing, make sure that your own is impeccable. Meaning, you use capital letters at the beginning of sentences and in "I". And I don't make people wait on purpose. I have a life – friends, family, part time jobs, university and 2 other very time consuming hobbies. I write because I enjoy it and if someone else can enjoy it with me, then the better. I don't write to please you. **


	9. Chapter 9

**Apartments**

**AN: I do not own Card Captor Sakura**

**Chapter 9**

Words.

My livelihood depends on words… Yet I am unable to find them. I haven't been able to string words together for some time now. When did this start? My lack of words? When I met her. She took my words away. She took my words away with those green eyes and caring smile. All the words I knew, all the words I so love to use disappeared. They all disappeared along with the summer heat, and now I am left with winter.

I used to love winter. Winter is a time for long evenings spent indoors drinking red wine and eating hot home made meals. Winter is a time to wait in anticipation for spring, for when spring comes new life is born. Perhaps… Perhaps my loss of words is my winter.

I turned my eyes away from the blank screen with the flashing curser towards the window. The air was thick with dark clouds, snow clouds hanging over the city. They are waiting. They are waiting like me, waiting for the right time for my words to come back to me. Perhaps with the snow I will find my voice again. Perhaps with the snow I will stop thinking about him and her.

I looked at the wall. It's not my wall, it is a hotel room's wall. White and dull with a picture of some landscape that was taken somewhere no one really cares about. I miss my wall. I miss the wall I would lean against I silence. I would lean against it and listen… I would listen for her voice. And when I heard her voice it would fill me with words, so many words that I was unable to put them down on paper.

I miss that feeling of being filled with words.

I miss her.

My mind is not filled with words anymore, it is filled with images. Images of her laughing, crying, frowning, yelling, talking, eating, sleeping and kissing… The images always come down to one, the one I cherish the most. The image of her kissing… me.

And there is another image, an image I dream of every night and I just can't seem to forget. I can't forget him, I will never be able to. He was my friend, my life companion. And he took it all away from me. In his selfish quest for redemption he took it all away from me. And I cannot forget him.

He looked so peaceful. He was smiling with his hand on his chest as I held onto a photo, a photo of his love. His love, a girl no older than mine, with a pregnant belly and a strong will… He held onto her until the very last moment. He was floating in an ocean of red staining his sheets, but he was smiling.

My fingers trailed over the keyboard and it complained slightly with every light tap. My throat burned again, and I couldn't breathe. I just kept staring at the screen when my fingers finally stopped moving. The image became blurry and I could feel my tears trail down my face once more. He's not here anymore, and he will never come back. And she… I left her behind. I left her in her home with her friend and her father in another place not so far from here.

I pushed the screen away and walked off. I can't stand to look at those words anymore, but I can't erase them either. I grabbed my jacket and slammed the door shut, desperate to leave those words behind me. Desperate to forget what I had written down. But I knew I would never forget and I would never get an answer. Just like that day.

I hate those three words.

I glanced up at the hotel towards my room and I knew that the cursor was still flashing on my screen, waiting for me to add more words. But I couldn't, not just yet. I turned my back on those words for the day, but when I got back they were still there.

I stared at them again. I don't know for how long, but all I could do was sit and stare at them. Until my fingers moved again and I added three more words. Six words in all. My right hand found the mouse and I clicked a few times before the words disappeared again.

I watched the empty screen for a while before standing up and dropping on my bed. My eyes were glued to the dark clouds hanging over the city and I wondered if she was watching the same thing. I closed my eyes and I could see the words again. Font Times New Roman, size 12 with the cursor flashing at the end…

_I love you._

_I miss you._

I jumped at the sudden ringing of my phone. I pressed the green button before I put it next to my ear. At the other end I could hear only silence before a long sigh echoed through my body. I smiled slightly. "Sakura." I whispered.

"_I'm writing my first final tomorrow."_ Her voice was hushed.

"It's already tomorrow." I whispered back as I stared at my watch.

"_When are you coming back?"_

"I don't know"

"_Oh."_

"How's Tomoyo?"

"_Good, her mother is helping with the baby room."_ There was a silence and I was content to just listen to her breathing. "_Syaoran… I miss you too."_ She hung up. I stared at my phone when my hand dropped back onto the bed next to my body. She'll never say it.

I watched the steam rise from my coffee as my hands held onto the hot mug, trying to absorb every possible last inch of heat that it might give off. It was really cold all of a sudden, even in the small café I sat in waiting it was cold. I frowned when I looked at my hands. I blinked and sure enough… They were still. Where did my constant tapping go to?

I lifted my hand to scratch my beard, but I didn't have one. I lowered it again when I only felt a day's worth of stubble prickling my fingers. When did I stop scratching? I looked down at my clothes, jeans and sneakers, with a button blue downed shirt and black jersey. When did I become so neat?

I could see her before me, standing on her balcony with her tie loose and her school uniform hugging her in absolutely all the right places. That was the second time se talked to me, and she noticed it immediately. My habit, a habit that my mother only noticed years later. "_If you keep that up you're going to crack your mug." _The constant tapping of my mug.

"_What are you trying to hide under that mass of hair? It makes your scar only look worse."_ She also noticed that I was trying to hide. Form what, I still don't know. "_It means nice shirt, nice pants with clean shoes, usually clean shaven or at least clean and neat hair. In other words, look like you are going out on a date."_

"_I wear this to dates."_

"_No wonder you are single." _And she saw that I was trying to push people away. I was so lost in my world of words that I had lost contact with reality and she brought me back. I stared at my hands still holding onto the mug. She brought me back. She made me, me again.

I'm that eighteen year old before the accident again. I'm that guy who likes to dress in a smart casual way again, I'm that guy who likes to wear his hair in an easy manageable style again… I'm that guy I lost when I got this scar. I touched my face and I could feel the skin rise and fall unevenly where the glass had cut me so long ago. Make it part of your persona, she told me and she proudly lifted her shirt and showed me her scar on her smooth tummy. She called it her brush with death in a teasing, please manner.

She saw all these things, form the very first get go. All my flaws were laid open to her, yet she accepted me.

I hastily pulled my wallet from my pocket and dumped the money on the table before I hurriedly made my way out. The doorbell jingled when I pushed it open and a woman grabbed my arm. I looked down at Naoko as she frowned up at me. "Syaoran, where are you going?"

"I have to go back."

"But we're not finished yet." I pulled free of her grasp and started to run. "We're filming tomorrow!"

"Do what ever Naoko, but I have girl waiting for me!"

"What? She can wait!"

"Perhaps, but I can't!"

Even if I can't touch her right now, even if I can't be with her in the way I want to be with her, just being near her is enough. Even if she never tells me that she loves me or even if she never really feels the same way I do about her, it is fine. I love her. And right now I want nothing more than to hear her teasing laughter and to see her green eyes again.

**AN: FINE! I WON'T DELETE THE DAMN THING! Shees, where did all of you come form all of a sudden? And why do you read my nonsense author notes at the end? I work on dial-up people, do you know how long it took me to read all the reviews? I'm going to have a massive bill at the end of the month (ha ha!). **

**If you're confused about Syaoran's location right now, don't worry. All will be revealed soon enough. Sorry this is a shorter chapter, but it just says so much. Well I think so.**

**Thanks for the reviews!**

**Tella**

**Ps. I went to watch _Blood Diamonds_ the other day and nearly laughed my butt off at Leonardo's portrayal of a Zimbabwean accent. He acted really well, but the accent… Not so much. Plus the use of Afrikaans every now and again had the cinema in stitches. Afrikaans is my home language, so if you ever wondered what it sounds like, watch the movie. Some of the white characters, like Arnold Vosloo's character, speak it at times. Leonardo used a very rude Afrikaans word at one stage though, and it was hilarious taking the whole set up in consideration. Plus seeing some local actors on the screen in a Hollywood production was kind of nice. **


	10. Chapter 10

**Apartments**

**AN: I do not own Card Captor Sakura**

**Chapter 10**

I smiled at Tomoyo as she kept telling me what she and her mother had bought for her baby while I was away. Her eyes lit up with every item and even more so when she was able to say that it all would belong to her baby. Her baby… That was the one thing that she valued the most. And that made me smile.

"You are just like Sakura's mother when she first expected Toya." We both looked up at Mr Kinomoto as he smiled a warm caring smile at the girl. "She was so excited and she kept going over little things for months. Like the first clothes she would take with for her baby, and the first blanket…"

"Did you know that Toya would be boy uncle?"

"No, we wanted to be surprised. I would have been happy either way, but in the end I was blessed with both a strong boy and a lovely daughter. I wish Nadesiko could see them now… She would have been so proud. And of you too Tomoyo." He gently brushed the girl's cheek and she smiled at him. "Just like your mother."

"Uncle…" I could see the longing in the man's eyes, his wish to see his wife again and to have her here with us to share in his happiness. Mr Kinomoto is a gentle soul. Just like his daughter.

"You'd better have tea ready!" Came a loud voice from outside as someone fiddled with keys in the lock. "It is damn cold out here." The door opened and Sakura came in along with a sharp cold wind. She was dressed in a thick jacket and had a large scarf wrapped around her neck. "Daddy! Food!" I watched her turn around to look at us. She froze when she saw me.

I smiled at her and she kept staring at me. A sudden realisation struck her and she let out a small squeal of happiness before throwing herself at me. I laughed as I hugged her back. "I'm glad to see I was missed."

"You're still full of yourself."

"Now-now sweetheart, settle down so we can all have dinner. Syaoran was kind enough to bring us some white hot chocolate for an after dinner treat, that's if you behave." I laughed at the girl when she saluted her father before pulling off her extra clothes to sit down next to her father and myself for dinner. "How did your last exam go?"

"Snore… It was a real bore, I'm definitely acing that one. The farewell just took so long! They had about a billion speakers and events going on the entire afternoon. And this bizarre award ceremony… Oh yeah!" We watched her pull something from her bag before handing it to her father. "I was named Miss Congeniality, what ever that is suppose to mean."

I grinned at the paper when it got passed my way for admiration. Even despite her fight she was popular… But why did she give me the impression that she wasn't? "I asked Rika about this. Apparently the teachers and student's rate you on how you are on a daily basis and how you generally act towards others... Rika said my fight earlier was what got me on the list."

"Your fight, or that cheesy sarcastic smile that you give everyone and they just interpreted it the wrong way?"

"Shut up Tomoyo."

"She has a point you know." I laughed when she glared at me. "How was your prom?"

"Oohh! That was great. Tomoyo and I had a blast that evening."

"And the best part was where they caught the prom queen with her positive pregnancy test after she tried to bad mouth me."

"Ohh! Scandalous!" I laughed at the girls' little outburst while Mr Kinomoto only shook his head. I missed a lot while I was gone. Tomoyo seems happy now, she's not depressed all the time anymore. I can still see a little sadness in her eyes, but she's laughing a lot more. And the girl… She seems different too. She's no longer dressed in shorts and shirts, but rather jeans and jerseys. Her cheeks are red, her hair wild from the cold wind… And she's laughing too.

They are all laughing a lot more than they used to. They still had a hard time ahead of them, but it was okay. As long as they had one another and as long as they could laugh. The way Eriol and I used to be.

The evening came to an end and I excused myself from their warm home. Sakura offered to walk with me, daring to tread into the cold even though she hates it. Outside snow started to fall and the cold wind tugged at her long hair. She had grown it while I was away and with it loose like it was now… She was the image of a child, wild and carefree.

I leaned against my door as I smiled down at her and she grinned at me, nervously kicking her toes against the floor in a tapping movement. "So are you going home or do you want to come in?"

She shrugged. "I have to go back I suppose." I watched her turn around and I turned to unlock my door. Tonight I will be able to sleep peacefully again. Tonight… "Syaoran." I turned back to look at her and was surprised when she suddenly leaned in and kissed me. Her lips were soft and smooth on mine, but the tender feeling disappeared far too soon when she pulled away. "Good night."

"Good night Sakura."

"Syaoran…" I ignored the voice as I pulled my duvet tighter around my body. I wanted to sleep, not listen to voices. "Syaoran." I groaned and turned the other way, away from the annoying voice insisting on disturbing my sleep. My bed moved and a body climbed in next to me. "What are you dreaming?" The voice was on my ear, hot and seductive.

"About you… Naked." I answered plainly.

I opened an eye and looked annoyed up at the girl. "Finally. I've been awake for hours now."

"Tough luck, why do you have to bother me?"

"Ahh… And here I thought I'd make your dreams come true about seeing me naked."

"You're not naked." I yawned as I closed my eyes again.

"But I can be."

"Uh-hu… Not anytime soon around me, I am sure."

"You're no fun. And your coffee is getting cold." I groaned as I sat up to look at the girl sitting on my bed next to me grinning from ear to ear. I picked up the mug of coffee and swallowed the bitter contents. At least she can make a good cuppa when she wants to. I swallowed the last liquid and fell back down on my bed, ready to sleep.

The girl moved, and my mattress gave in next to me before two legs suddenly straddled me. Her hands pushed down on my shoulders and I looked up at her. "What now Sakura?"

"Didn't you miss me?"

"You know I did."

"Why did you miss me?"

"Because I love you."

"How much?"

"Tons." I yawned.

"Prove it." I opened my eyes and frowned up at the girl. Her face was now only inches away from mine.

"Why are you teasing me so early in the morning?"

"Because…" I signed at her tone of voice. She's not going to give up until I give her what she wants. What ever the hell that might be. "Syaoran…" She complained like a little girl.

"Don't you have school?"

"No. I graduated, remember." I nodded. I remember now. She graduated… I paused, there was something in her voice. Something suggestive. I opened my eyes again and looked up at the girl, now smiling at me. "I'm not in school anymore." She whispered. "In four months I'll be nineteen." She kissed me. "And the year after that twenty." She kissed me again. "And then twenty one." Her kiss lingered this time.

I leaned upwards, capturing her lips with mine, begging her to kiss me again. Slowly her body eased onto mine as she continued to kiss me. Her lips parted and I was allowed to explore. Her warm sweet taste vibrating through my body. "You could have woken me like this in the first place." I teased as I wrapped my arms around her and turned her on her back with me resting on top of her. She laughed and I found my hand brushing her hair from her face. "You're different." I whispered.

She looked up at me with those green eyes of hers. "I found something." She pulled it from her pocket and lifted it to show me. "A letter my mom wrote. It's not to anyone in particular, but she tells who ever just how much she loves my father. And… And it made me think. It made me wonder what it feels like to love someone so much."

I watched her, my heart hammering in my chest as she closed her eyes. "And I wanted to experience love like that. I wanted to feel wanted and to want, and to be needed and to need." I frowned at her. Please… Please… "I thought that I've never felt like that. And I haven't, until…"

"Until?" I brushed my hand over her cheek. "Tell me Sakura, please tell me."

"Until I met you." She opened her eyes and I was lost in an ocean of green.

"Syaoran I…" She closed her eyes and I could not help but frown. "You were gone for two months. And although I knew that the movie was important and I could never go with you I was still angry that you left me here." She swallowed hard.

"I don't know much about love." Came her voice in a soft whisper. "But I was hoping you could show me."

She opened her eyes again and this time she was the one begging me.

**- --- -**

"And in other news, writer Syaoran Li has taken the book world by storm with his new book, The Girls Next Door. It has been described by fans and critics alike as a 'delightful tale of love' and as 'standing a head above all of Li's other novels'. When asked about his recent success Li replied that it is not the story that made it possible…"

"Put that crap off." I grumbled as I pulled the pillow under my head up.

"You're such a grouch." The girl chimed in a teasing voice causing me to grumble again. The television was however shut off, leaving me to relax in silence. "Poor old Syaoran doesn't want to hear that he is now a famous celebrity." Her breath was hot on my ear and I turned around to look at her.

"I'd shut up if I were you. You're the famous celebrity's fiancé, remember?" She giggled as I pulled her down on top of me. She snuggled in next to me on the couch allowing me to wrap my arm around her to keep her from falling off. She had grown up over the years. She was no longer that teenager I remember, but a grown woman now. She has a degree behind her name and recently started a job even though she didn't have to. I can support us both and ten more for the next hundred years.

My words had come back to me and I wrote about what was closest to my heart. I wrote about my love and my life, I wrote about a man down on his luck who fell in love with the girl next door. I wrote about a man who was pulled into a world of unplanned pregnancies that turned into disguised blessings and hidden hurt. I wrote about the loss of a friend and the loss of a life. I wrote about the gain of love.

I wrote about me and my life with two teenage girls and how they turned it upside down.

"Where did the kid disappear to?" I looked around the room trying to locate the three year old girl who have seemed to have learned to barge in when ever she liked just like her mother does and father used to do.

"She's sleeping on your bed." Sakura turned to look up at me. Her green eyes searched mine and I smiled at her. "She looks so much like him, doesn't she?"

"Yeah, she does." Little Nadesiko is the spitting image of her father, Eriol. Sakura's gently touched my cheek, telling me that I'm not alone anymore. I smiled slightly and kissed her palm. "When's your father coming back?"

_The Girls Next Door_

_by_

_Syaoran Li _

_Dedicated to_

_Eriol Hiiragizawa, a friend who will always be remembered,_

_Tomoyo Daidouji and Sakura Kinomoto, the girls next door._

**AN: Hello! And it ends. **

**For those who read _Short Stories with Tragic Endings_ I'm working on it. It just takes a long time to write. But I updated Chapter 7 along with this chapter. And _Between Heaven and Hell there is Earth_ will come along as well. I'm going to rewrite chapter 5 and then I have to write the rest before I can post anything. That story really takes a long time to work, because I have to make 4 POV's work together fluently.**

**Updating is going to take a while from now on, and I mean a while. I'm doing my honours at the moment and it is time consuming, so sorry guys. My priorities you know.**

**Thanks for your tender loving care (reviews)!**

**Tella**

**Ps. I created a forum called "Tella's writing tips" if you want to have a look and post a comment. It basically contains stuff that I've noticed and learned over the years when it comes to story writing, specifically on **


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